Given name & surname
Temple
“from the sacred place”
Temple is used as a given name and a surname. One Latin interpretation is “from the sacred place.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Latin interpretation is “from the sacred place.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Latin.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1884. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Temple through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,396
- 828 boys · 1,568 girls
- Most popular year
- 1971
- 104 babies
- 2025
- 9
- #10,836 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −30%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 9 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 10,836 among girls’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Its largest published annual count for girls was 88 in 1971. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,634 as a first name in 2020; 21,324 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.
Temple’s family of names
Temple has a related form in Tempel. Temple has a related form in Templa. Temple has a related form in Templar.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Temple
- Temple ChevallierBritish astronomer (1794–1873)
- Temple Ashbrooksailor (1896–1976)
- Temple BaileyAmerican writer1880–1953
- Temple PrimeAmerican conchologist (1832–1903)
- Temple StanyanBritish writer, historian1675–1752
- Temple Lea HoustonTexas and Oklahoma lawyer and politician (1860–1905)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Temple, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Tacey
“mute; silenced”
>99% girls
Terra
“goddess of the earth; the land itself”
>99% girls
Tracey
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33% boys · 67% girls
Lucette
Lucette is a feminine given name from Latin. It is used in Norman.
>99% girls
Marcy
“dedicated to Mars, the god of war”
>99% girls
Michaelle
Michaelle is a feminine given name from Latin. It is used in French.
>99% girls
Ursula
“resembling a little bear”
>99% girls
Melinda
“one who is sweet and gentle”
>99% girls