Worthy Unisex

Popularity: #927 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: WUR-thee //ˈwɜrði//

Origin: English; Old English

Meaning: English: worthy; Old English: deserving

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Worthy has its roots in the Old English word "weorðig," which translates to "worthy" or "worthy of respect." This term is derived from the Proto-Germanic root "werþa," meaning "to become" or "to be worth." The evolution of the name can be traced through various linguistic stages, including Old English, where it was used as an adjective to denote value or merit, before being adopted into Middle English and eventually into modern English. The transition into a given name likely reflects a cultural emphasis on virtue and moral character, common in naming practices throughout history.

Historically, the concept of worthiness has been significant in various cultural and religious contexts. In medieval England, names that conveyed positive attributes were often favored, and Worthy would have been associated with honor and integrity.

Although not directly linked to any specific biblical figures or saints, the moral implications of the name resonate with the values espoused in religious texts, such as the King James Bible, published in the early 17th century, which emphasizes the importance of virtue and righteousness. Culturally, the name Worthy embodies ideals of respect and moral standing, reflecting a tradition of naming children after qualities parents hope to instill in them.

This notion of worthiness is echoed in various literary and historical contexts, where characters or figures embody these traits. While there are no widely recognized diminutive forms of Worthy, the name's strong connotation of respect and value has contributed to its endurance as a meaningful choice in the lexicon of names.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Worthy, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Worthy. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Worthy was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Worthy has ranked as high as #8252 nationally, which occurred in 2025, and has been most popular in West Virginia.

In the past 5 years the name Worthy has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Worthy is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Worthy was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Worthy.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 28 11 17
2024 14 9 5
2023 12 0 12
2022 11 5 6
2021 11 0 11
2019 14 6 8
2018 6 6 0
2015 5 0 5
2009 5 5 0
1991 5 5 0
1976 5 5 0
1972 6 6 0
1969 5 5 0
1965 5 5 0
1954 6 6 0
1952 9 9 0
1951 5 5 0
1950 6 6 0
1948 6 6 0
1947 9 9 0
1946 12 12 0
1945 6 6 0
1944 6 6 0
1943 5 5 0
1942 5 5 0
1939 9 9 0
1938 7 7 0
1937 6 6 0
1936 5 5 0
1935 9 9 0
1934 10 10 0
1932 8 8 0
1931 8 8 0
1930 7 7 0
1929 12 12 0
1928 5 5 0
1927 8 8 0
1926 11 11 0
1925 13 13 0
1924 15 15 0
1923 12 12 0
1922 9 9 0
1921 11 11 0
1920 14 14 0
1919 12 12 0
1918 12 12 0
1917 10 10 0
1916 10 10 0
1915 12 12 0
1913 5 5 0
1912 6 6 0
1908 5 5 0
1903 5 5 0
1880 5 5 0

Top States for Worthy (1935)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
WV 5
100%