Pink

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Pink

Pronounced PINK /ˈpɪŋk/High

Meaning: The English word 'pink' — the color, and by extension 'fine, excellent' (as in 'the pink of health') — used as a given name and nickname in the American South around 1900. Sometimes short for Pinkney.Low

In 30 seconds: Pink was a genuine early-1900s boy's name — the plain color-word, also used as a nickname and sometimes short for Pinkney. A one-beat name of the word-name era.

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Origin LowEnglish

MeaningThe English word 'pink' — the color, and by extension 'fine, excellent' (as in 'the pink of health') — used as a given name and nickname in the American South around 1900. Sometimes short for Pinkney.

U.S. rank (1961)#4510 ↘ Falling

1961 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1919

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,089

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

Pink was used as a boy's given name in the American South around 1900, drawn from the color-word — and its older sense 'the finest, the peak' (as in 'the pink of health'). It also served as a nickname and as a short form of Pinkney.

Part of the early-1900s fashion for word- and surname-names, Pink faded by mid-century and is not part of any modern revival — a true period rarity.

Did you know? In older usage 'the pink' meant the finest example of something — 'the pink of health' — so Pink could carry a sense of 'the best,' not just a color.

Overall data confidence 55%

References — Pink — color-word given name; also short for Pinkney

Variations

PinkneyPinckneyPinky

Nicknames

Pinky

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Pink…

Otis— same short, plain early-1900s boys'-name feel

Dewey— a like turn-of-the-century American name

Homer— shares the vintage, homespun quality

Ollie— another brief, folksy name of the era

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Pink mean?

Pink is the color-word used as an early-1900s given name; in older usage it also meant 'the finest,' and it sometimes served as short for Pinkney.

How do you pronounce Pink?

It's said PINK /ˈpɪŋk/ — one syllable, stress on the only syllable.

Is Pink a boy or girl name?

Pink is used here as a boy's name.

How popular is Pink?

Pink is an old-fashioned word-name, used around the turn of the twentieth century and essentially gone from use since.