Blake

What does Blake mean?

Blake comes from an English surname with two possible Old English roots: blæc, “black,” and blac, “pale.” Those contrasting words produced similar-looking surname forms, so both meanings belong to its history. The modern first name keeps the surname's single syllable and firm final k sound.

Blake has been used for both boys and girls. It was chiefly masculine in earlier American use, with a later rise among girls. Its surname background also gives it an important connection to the poet and artist William Blake, whose creative work long predates the name's recent first-name popularity.

William Blake and illuminated books

William Blake brought poetry and pictures together in books made through his own printing methods. Songs of Innocence appeared in 1789, followed by Songs of Experience in 1794. The two were also brought together as Songs of Innocence and of Experience.

These works were made as illuminated books, with words and images appearing together on relief-etched plates. The page was therefore part of the artistic work, not simply a surface carrying a poem. The British Museum preserves examples of that combination of writing and printmaking.

The collections include contrasting poems such as The Lamb and The Tyger. Their place in literature is closely connected with their visual form, giving the surname Blake an association with several arts at once.

Blake Shelton and country music

Country singer Blake Shelton supplies a well-known first-name connection. He grew up in Ada, Oklahoma, performing locally before moving to Nashville at seventeen. The Grand Ole Opry became an important part of his career: he made his debut there on May 5, 2001, and became a member on October 23, 2010.

His Oklahoma hometown also appeared in his later musical presentation. The water tower in Ada featured on the cover of his 2014 album Bringing Back the Sunshine. That detail connects his public stage name with a specific place from his early life, alongside the Nashville institutions associated with his recording career.

Blake as a shared first name

Actor Blake Lively helped bring the name to a wider female audience through Gossip Girl, which she began starring in during 2007. The spelling remained unchanged across masculine and feminine use. Its single syllable gives it the same spoken shape in either setting.

Blake is pronounced BLAYK, rhyming with lake. The final e is silent, and the closing consonant gives the name a clear stopping point.

Blake in the United States

Blake's American boys' peak came in 2012, with 6,047 babies and a rank of No. 71. For girls, its peak was in 2021, with 1,504 babies and a rank of No. 199. In 2025, the counts were especially close: 1,080 boys, ranked No. 316, and 1,035 girls, ranked No. 295.

How popular is Blake?

In 2025, Blake ranked #316 among boys in the United States, with 1,080 recorded uses. The U.S. birth records first list this spelling for boys in 1883; its largest annual count was 6,047 in 2012. Rankings count each spelling separately. They describe national use, so local familiarity can differ. The popularity chart shows whether the name has remained common, returned after a quieter period, or risen recently.