Find out how popular the first name Bishop has been for the last 50 years (from 1975 to 2024) and learn more about the meaning and history.
An English masculine name derived from an ecclesiastical title.
Based on the last 50 years of data, Bishop is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 98% of people named Bishop being male.
For the most recent data in 2024, there were 171 male babies and 10 female babies born with the name Bishop.
Yes—according to the SSA data, 10 baby girls were named Bishop in 2024, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!
| Year | Male Count | Female Count |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 171 | 10 |
| 2023 | 172 | 9 |
| 2022 | 215 | 13 |
| 2021 | 221 | 15 |
| 2020 | 218 | 15 |
| 2019 | 198 | 17 |
| 2018 | 209 | 13 |
| 2017 | 206 | 6 |
| 2016 | 189 | 0 |
| 2015 | 208 | 0 |
| 2014 | 189 | 0 |
| 2013 | 158 | 0 |
| 2012 | 185 | 0 |
| 2011 | 163 | 0 |
| 2010 | 163 | 0 |
| 2009 | 175 | 0 |
| 2008 | 170 | 0 |
| 2007 | 168 | 0 |
| 2006 | 158 | 0 |
| 2005 | 151 | 0 |
| 2004 | 112 | 0 |
| 2003 | 136 | 5 |
| 2002 | 109 | 0 |
| 2001 | 117 | 0 |
| 2000 | 121 | 0 |
| 1999 | 133 | 0 |
| 1998 | 144 | 0 |
| 1997 | 92 | 0 |
| 1996 | 78 | 0 |
| 1995 | 86 | 0 |
| 1994 | 100 | 0 |
| 1993 | 54 | 0 |
| 1992 | 39 | 0 |
| 1991 | 15 | 0 |
| 1990 | 15 | 0 |
| 1989 | 15 | 0 |
| 1988 | 10 | 0 |
| 1987 | 8 | 0 |
| 1986 | 13 | 0 |
| 1985 | 6 | 0 |
| 1984 | 8 | 0 |
| 1983 | 7 | 0 |
| 1982 | 16 | 0 |
| 1981 | 9 | 0 |
| 1980 | 10 | 0 |
| 1979 | 19 | 0 |
| 1978 | 12 | 0 |
| 1977 | 14 | 0 |
| 1976 | 5 | 0 |
| 1975 | 12 | 0 |
The name Bishop is an English given name derived from the ecclesiastical title of the same spelling. It originated as an occupational surname in medieval England, referring to a person who held the rank of bishop in the Christian church hierarchy.
The word "bishop" itself comes from the Greek word "episkopos," which means "overseer" or "guardian." This Greek term was adopted into Late Latin as "episcopus" and eventually made its way into Old English as "biscop" or "bisceop." Over time, the spelling evolved into the modern English form, "bishop."
In the early days of Christianity, bishops held significant authority and played a crucial role in the governance and spiritual leadership of the church. As a result, the title "bishop" became associated with respect and prestige, which may have contributed to its adoption as a given name.
The earliest recorded use of Bishop as a first name dates back to the 13th century in England. One of the earliest known individuals with this name was Bishop of Norwich, a 13th-century English prelate who served as the Bishop of Norwich from 1236 to 1257.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Bishop, including:
While the name Bishop has its origins in the Christian faith and the ecclesiastical hierarchy, it has since been adopted as a given name by individuals from various backgrounds, transcending its original religious connotations.
The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.
The history and meaning of the name Bishop was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Bishop, please contact us.
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