Debby

♀ Girl

Pronounced DEB-ee /ˈdɛb.i/High

Meaning: Debby is a friendly spelling of the short form of Deborah, from Hebrew devorah, 'bee.' In the Bible Deborah is a prophetess and judge, and the -by ending on the nickname gives it a bright, casual warmth.High

In 30 seconds: Debby is Deborah's cheerful short form spelled with a -by (said 'DEB-ee'). The parent name means 'bee.'

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Origin HighHebrew

MeaningDebby is a friendly spelling of the short form of Deborah, from Hebrew devorah, 'bee.' In the Bible Deborah is a prophetess and judge, and the -by ending on the nickname gives it a bright, casual warmth.

U.S. rank (2016)#12058 ↗ Rising

2016 U.S. births8 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1959

Total births (all-time)≈ 9,697

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

Debby rose with the mid-century fashion for putting nicknames on birth certificates, standing in for Deborah, from Hebrew devorah, 'bee.' The name peaked at the end of the fifties, part of a huge Deborah/Debbie/Debby cohort, then declined steadily through the following decades.

A Debby from her peak is now in her mid-sixties, a boomer-generation name. It reads as warmly dated rather than reviving; parents today generally choose Deborah and let Debby or Debbie remain the affectionate nickname.

Did you know? Singer Debby Boone carried this exact spelling to the top of the charts with 'You Light Up My Life' in 1977, keeping the -by form visible even as the birth name was cooling.

Overall data confidence 83%

References — Debby — Pet form of Deborah (Heb. 'bee'); late-1950s peak

Variations

DeborahDebbieDebra

Nicknames

DebbyDeb

Famous Bearers

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If you like Debby…

Deborah— the full parent name Debby shortens

Debbie— the other common spelling of the same pet form

Cathy— a same-era friendly short form used as a full name

Kathy— a like mid-century nickname-name

Explore names like Debby

By themebiblical nickname-name mid-century retro

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Debby mean?

Debby is a short form of Deborah, from Hebrew devorah, 'bee'; it carries that parent meaning.

How do you pronounce Debby?

It's said DEB-ee /ˈdɛb.i/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Debby a boy or girl name?

Debby is used as a girl's name, an affectionate short form of Deborah.

How popular is Debby?

Debby was a postwar favorite that peaked in the late fifties and has faded since; it hasn't come back.