Taylor
Popularity in 2025: #403 for girls · #685 for boys
What does the baby name “Taylor” mean?
Taylor is a classic English occupational surname turned given name, rooted in the age-old craft of tailoring, with a clean, versatile sound that works beautifully for any gender and any stage of life.
Origin of the baby name Taylor
Taylor comes from the Middle English word tailor, meaning a person who cuts and sews cloth to make garments, itself from Old French taillier, from Latin taliare, meaning to cut. As an occupational surname, it was given in medieval England to anyone who worked as a tailor, making it one of the most common English surnames. Like many occupational surnames, it made a natural transition to use as a given name over the generations.
Baby Taylor: The Pioneer →
History of the baby name “Taylor”
Taylor first established itself firmly as a given name in the United States from the mid-20th century, initially more popular for boys as a classic surname name. By the 1980s and 1990s it had crossed strongly into use for girls as well, becoming one of the most popular unisex names of that era. High-profile bearers across music, film, and other fields have kept it culturally visible and consistently chosen by new parents.
Why parents choose the baby name “Taylor”
Taylor has a crisp, confident sound that wears well at every age: it is professional without being stiff, friendly without being casual, and completely comfortable for any gender. Parents love that it is easy to spell, easy to say, and needs no explanation or nickname, though Tay works naturally for those who want a shorter everyday form.
Nicknames for the Baby Name “Taylor”
Ta, Tay, Tain, Takin, Taster, Taerino, Tainator
Nicknames from Around the World for the Baby Name “Taylor”
Terms of endearment for a baby name work differently around the world. Some cultures clip the name short, while others add an affectionate ending that can make it longer instead. Here is how the baby name Taylor might sound as a nickname in a few other languages and dialects.
Variations on the baby name “Taylor”
Taylor's closest variant spellings include Tayler and the more creative Teighlor. Related forms Tailor and Tay also appear, with Tay functioning well as a natural nickname. Across European languages, the equivalent occupational name takes very different forms, such as Schneider in German, though these are rarely used as given names in the way that Taylor has been embraced in English.
Baby names similar to “Taylor”
These baby names share spelling patterns with Taylor and may appeal to parents who love the look and feel of this name.
Baby names that sound like “Taylor”
Baby sibling names for Taylor
Matched by similar popularity, name length, and ending sound. See baby sibling names with numerology compatible with Taylor →
Baby Middle Names for Taylor
Picked for a different ending sound and rhythm than Taylor, so the two names flow well said together as a pair.