Budd

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Budd

Pronounced BUD /ˈbʌd/High

Meaning: Budd is chiefly an English surname and a pet name, doubling as the affectionate term 'bud' or 'buddy' for a friend or brother. As a surname it descends from an Old English personal name, Budda, of uncertain sense; as a given name it usually stands in for Buddy, a warm nickname that some families recorded as a legal first name.Low

In 30 seconds: Budd is a surname and pet name — the friendly 'bud/buddy' — from an Old English name Budda (said 'BUD'). It was a rare, homey boys' choice in the early twentieth century.

💕 Browse more names

Origin LowEnglish

MeaningBudd is chiefly an English surname and a pet name, doubling as the affectionate term 'bud' or 'buddy' for a friend or brother. As a surname it descends from an Old English personal name, Budda, of uncertain sense; as a given name it usually stands in for Buddy, a warm nickname that some families recorded as a legal first name.

U.S. rank (1990)#7294 ↘ Falling

1990 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1923

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,090

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Budd reaches back to the Old English personal name Budda and survived mainly as a surname, while as a first name it overlaps with the everyday endearment 'bud' or 'buddy'. American families who used it were generally turning a nickname into a given name, a common informal habit of the era.

It was never common — only a few dozen boys a year at its faint peak in the early nineteen-twenties — and it reads today as a sturdy, old-fashioned pet name rather than a formal one. It has not returned with the broader surname-revival trend and stays firmly vintage.

Did you know? Budd is best known through Herman Melville's novella Billy Budd, the tale of a doomed young sailor, published after Melville's death and later made into an opera and a film.

Overall data confidence 55%

References — Budd — Old English Budda; pet form of Buddy; Melville's Billy Budd

Variations

BudBuddy

Nicknames

BudBuddy

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Budd…

Floyd— a fellow short, homey vintage boys' name

Clyde— shares the plain one-syllable early-century feel

Roscoe— another warm, old-fashioned rare American name

Hobart— a like sturdy surname-style vintage pick

Explore names like Budd

By themerare vintage surname-name nickname

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Budd mean?

Budd is an English surname and pet form of Buddy, tied to the friendly word 'bud'.

How do you pronounce Budd?

It's said BUD /bʌd/ — one syllable.

Is Budd a boy or girl name?

Budd is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Budd?

Budd has always been rare in the U.S., a homey nickname-name most seen in the early twentieth century.