Given name & surname
December
“winter's child; born in December”
December is used as a given name and a surname. One American interpretation is “winter's child; born in December.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One American interpretation is “winter's child; born in December.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is American.
How it developed
In English usage, December developed from DECEMBRE.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1960. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
December through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,619
- 11 boys · 1,608 girls
- Most popular year
- 2012
- 46 babies
- 2025
- 21
- #5,768 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −11%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 21 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 5,768 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 10.3% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 46 in 2012. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,315 as a first name in 2020; 176 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
December’s family of names
In English usage, December developed from DECEMBRE. December has a related form in Decembar. December has a related form in Decimbar.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 7
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love December, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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Daiana is a feminine given name from English. It is used in Spanish.
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