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Swayze

♀ Girl

Pronounced SWAYZ /ˈsweɪz/Medium

Meaning: From the surname Swayze, an anglicized spelling of German Schweizer/Schweiz meaning 'Swiss'. Popularized as a given name via actor Patrick Swayze.Medium

In 30 seconds: Swayze is a surname turned girl's name, from German Schweizer meaning 'Swiss'.
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Origin MediumEnglish, German
MeaningFrom the surname Swayze, an anglicized spelling of German Schweizer/Schweiz meaning 'Swiss'. Popularized as a given name via actor Patrick Swayze.
U.S. rank (2024)#2025 ↗ Rising
2024 U.S. births97 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2024
Total births (all-time)≈ 855

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202419892024

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

History & Origin

Swayze began as a surname, an anglicized spelling of German Schweizer or Schweiz meaning 'Swiss'. Its move into first-name use was popularized by actor Patrick Swayze.

The bold single-syllable sound and celebrity link give Swayze the punchy, surname-as-first-name feel parents often seek.

Did you know? Swayze likely reached first-name use through a surname or place-name route, which gives it that modern borrowed-from-history feel.
Overall data confidence 70%
Behind the Name - Swayze — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Swayze…

Reese— Another surname adopted as a girl's first name, like Swayze.
Monroe— Shares Swayze's pattern of a famous-person surname used for girls.
Sutton— A surname-style girl's name with the same crisp, modern feel as Swayze.

Frequently Asked

What does the name Swayze mean?

Swayze is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Swayze?

It's commonly said SWAYZ /ˈsweɪz/.

Is Swayze a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Swayze is used as a girl name.

How popular is Swayze?

In 2024, Swayze ranked #2025 in the U.S. for girls, with 97 births recorded.