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Poe
Pronounced POH /ˈpoʊ/High
Meaning: From the English surname Poe, generally traced to Middle English po, 'peacock,' used as a nickname for a showy or proud person. Its fame as a first name rests on the writer Edgar Allan Poe.Low
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
Poe is an English surname most often traced to Middle English po, 'peacock,' a nickname name. Its modern life as a first name rests almost entirely on Edgar Allan Poe, the American writer of 'The Raven' and the Gothic tales, whose name lends it a literary, shadowed elegance. The derivation is not fully settled, which we note (said 'POH').
In the U.S. it is very rare for boys. Rare, literary, and short.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Poe mean?
Poe is an English surname, generally traced to Middle English po, 'peacock.' It is best known from the writer Edgar Allan Poe.
How do you pronounce Poe?
It's said POH /ˈpoʊ/ — one syllable, rhyming with 'go.'
Is Poe a boy or girl name?
Poe is used as a boy's name.
How popular is Poe?
Poe is a very rare name for boys in the U.S.