Girl name · English
Piper
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: pipe playerPiper is a girl's name that comes from English and means "pipe player". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Pipe player
- Origin
- English
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #155 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Piper
As a girl's name, Piper comes from English and means "pipe player". It is used in English.
Piper is also a surname: the 1,628th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 21,405 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Piper on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Piper on 3 lists.
“For a chatty cat who pipes up at every sound”
From Female cat names, classic girl cat names
“Peppy and musical, like a happy little tune”
From Girl dog names, popular girl dog names
“For a cow with a moo that carries across the glen”
From Highland cattle names, scottish words that make great Highland cow names
How popular is Piper?
- US rank in 2025
- #155
- 1,940 babies, 1,207 per million girls
- Best rank
- #67 in 2015
- 4,140 babies that year
- Babies since 1951
- At least 62,718
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 0 per million |
| 1920s | 0 per million |
| 1930s | 0 per million |
| 1940s | 0 per million |
| 1950s | 15 per million |
| 1960s | 29 per million |
| 1970s | 47 per million |
| 1980s | 33 per million |
| 1990s | 70 per million |
| 2000s | 661 per million |
| 2010s | 1,891 per million |
| 2020s | 1,443 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #67 | #81 | #88 | #84 | #91 | #96 | #114 | #135 | #159 | #155 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Piper
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- PilarPillar, our lady of the pillar (Spanish, girl)
Names with a similar meaning
- HarperHarp player (Old English, unisex)
Middle names for Piper
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from English
- LilianaLatinate form of Lillian, probably from Elizabeth or Lily (English, girl)
- LilyLily flower (English, girl)
- SamanthaPerhaps a feminine form of Samuel with the suffix antha (English, girl)
- AinsleyFrom a place named for a solitary or hermitage clearing (English, unisex)
- CataleyaFrom cattleya, an orchid named for William Cattley (English, girl)
- EvelynFrom a surname derived from the given name Aveline (English, girl)
- HeatherHeather plant (English, girl)
- LillyVariant of Lily, the flower (English, girl)
- AdairFrom a surname derived from Edgar (English, unisex)
- AddisonSon of Adam (English, girl)
Piper: common questions
What does the name Piper mean?
Piper comes from English and means "pipe player".
Is Piper a boy or girl name?
Piper is mainly a girl's name.
Where does the name Piper come from?
Piper comes from English and means "pipe player". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Piper?
Piper ranked #155 in the US in 2025, with 1,940 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Piper?
Names spelled like Piper include Pilar.
What middle names go with Piper?
Middle names that flow well with Piper include Alice, Aurelia, Charity, Claire and Felicity. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.