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Pinkie

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Pinkie

Pronounced PING-kee /ˈpɪŋ.ki/Medium

Meaning: Pinkie is an endearment-turned-name, from 'pink' — both the soft color and the frilled garden flower (a dianthus, long called a 'pink'). Popular as a term of affection, it was given outright to girls in the early twentieth century, especially across the American South.Medium

In 30 seconds: Pinkie is a sweet pet-name-turned-first-name (said 'PING-kee'), from the color pink and the flower called a pink.

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Origin MediumEnglish

MeaningPinkie is an endearment-turned-name, from 'pink' — both the soft color and the frilled garden flower (a dianthus, long called a 'pink'). Popular as a term of affection, it was given outright to girls in the early twentieth century, especially across the American South.

U.S. rank (1992)#11369 ↗ Rising

1992 U.S. births7 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1920

Total births (all-time)≈ 3,881

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

Pinkie grew out of the affectionate use of 'pink,' both a delicate color and the fringed dianthus flower long known as a pink. In the American South especially, endearments like Pinkie, Birdie and Dolly were sometimes recorded as given names, and it was a warm, homespun choice in the early 1900s.

The name crested around 1920 and had all but disappeared by the 1990s, giving it a great-grandmother vintage. While frilly antique names like Birdie and Goldie have drawn some fresh interest, Pinkie has stayed on the sidelines and still reads as a period pet-name rather than a reviving classic.

Did you know? Pinkie peaked around 1920 and evokes the famous Thomas Lawrence portrait 'Pinkie,' the pink-clad girl who became a print in countless parlors.

Overall data confidence 62%

References — Pinkie — Pet name from 'pink' (color/flower); Lawrence portrait 'Pinkie'; 1920 peak

Variations

PinkyPinkey

Nicknames

PinkPinkie

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Pinkie…

Mamie— a like homey vintage pet-name for girls

Dolly— a same-era affectionate given name

Birdie— another endearment used as an early-1900s name

Goldie— a like warm, old-fashioned nickname-name

Explore names like Pinkie

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Pinkie mean?

Pinkie is an affectionate name from 'pink,' the color and the flower called a pink.

How do you pronounce Pinkie?

It's said PING-kee /ˈpɪŋ.ki/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Pinkie a boy or girl name?

Pinkie is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Pinkie?

Pinkie was an early-twentieth-century pet name that had faded by the end of the century.