Buffy

Where Buffy comes from

A pet form of Elizabeth (cf. Bethy), based on a child's unsuccessful attempts to pronounce the name. Popularized by the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise.
— Wiktionary's entry for Buffy
  • 2 syllables
  • Vowel-ended
Buffy through the years
  1. 1951
    First appearance
    #5,414 among girls with 5 babies, the first year at least five got the name.
  2. 1966
    Around this time: Family Affair
    TV, 1966 · Source
  3. 1972
    Peak, #529
    319 babies named Buffy, the most in any year.
  4. 1977
    Buffy Wicks born
    Member of the California State Assembly
  5. 1977
    The fade
    The first year with half the peak's births, down to #905.
In the dictionary
  • A diminutive of the female given name Elizabeth.
Namesakes
  • Buffy Wicks · Member of the California State Assembly, born 1977

Sources: the origin note and dictionary entry are quoted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0); the namesakes come from Wikidata (CC0); the milestones are worked out from the SSA record. Events show what happened around then, not why parents chose the name.