Whitney

Updated: December 20, 2021 by MomsWhoThink Staff

Whitney is an English name that means “white island’. Whitney is also an Old English surname. It is a unisex name although it is more commonly used as a feminine name. Whitney surged to popularity in the 80’s and 90’s due in part to famous singer Whitney Houston.

Meaning of the name Whitney:

Old English: white island

Origin of the name Whitney:

Whitney is a unisex English baby name that means “white island”. Whitney was an Old English surname before becoming popular as a given name.

Symbolism of the name Whitney:

Whitney was originally an Old English surname that referred to people who were from the settlement Whitney in Herefordshire, England.

Style of the name Whitney:

traditional

Gender of the name Whitney:

Whitney is a name chosen for both boys and girls.

Pronunciation of the name Whitney:

WIT-nee

Number of syllables in the name Whitney:

two

Emotion evoked from the name Whitney:

Whitney evokes feelings of strength and passion.

Alternative spellings for the name Whitney:

Witney, Whitny, Witenie

Nicknames for the name Whitney:

Whit
Whitey
Neya
Ney

Popularity of the name Whitney:

According to the Social Security Administration, Whitney is a popular unisex baby name. As a girl’s name, Whitney entered the top 1000 baby names in 1962 and was in the top 100 1985 to 1994. As a boy’s name, Whitney was in the top 1000 baby names sporadically from 1900 to 1961 before it appeared every year until 1988.