Libby is a name of English origin and it's often considered to be a diminutive form of the name Elizabeth. However, its true origins are somewhat unclear as there are no records of it being used independently before the early 20th century.
The name Elizabeth has a long history and means "God is my oath" in Hebrew. It was borne by several queens of England, including Elizabeth I, who ruled from 1558 to 1603. This might have contributed to the popularity of its diminutives such as Libby.
In literature, the name Libby has been used in various works, most notably in the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, where one of the main characters is named Scout Finch, whose full name is Jean Louise Finch but who is often called by her nickname Libby. This might have helped to popularize the name further.
Today, Libby remains a popular name for girls in English-speaking countries. It's often associated with warmth and approachability due to its casual, friendly sound. Despite its unclear origins, the name Libby has managed to carve out a place for itself in the pantheon of popular girls' names.
Based on the provided statistics, the name Libby has seen a significant rise and fall in popularity over time in the United States.
From 1881 to 1969, the number of births with the name Libby fluctuated significantly. The highest year during this period was 1907 with 23 births, while the lowest was 5 births in multiple years including 1881 and 1893.
However, starting from 1969, there was a notable decline in the usage of the name Libby. The number of births dropped to 119 in 1970 and continued to decrease until reaching its lowest point in this period with only 68 births in 1989.
From 1990 onwards, the popularity of the name Libby began to rise again. It reached a peak of 355 births in 2009, but has since seen a decline, with 224 births recorded in 2023.
Overall, while the name Libby has gone through periods of high and low popularity, it remains relatively uncommon compared to other names. Its total number of births in the United States from 1881 to 2023 is 17,543.