Unisex
Old English
1 syllable
Blake
BLAYK
/bleɪk/
"Black or bright" — a paradox of a name with cool, modern edge
Blake comes from Old English blaec meaning black or blac meaning pale or bright, creating a curious etymological paradox. Originally a surname for someone with dark hair or pale complexion, it became a given name in the 20th century. Blake has functioned as a genuinely popular unisex name since the 1990s, used for both boys and girls with equal ease.
Quick Facts
Letters5
SyllablesBlake
GenderUnisex
OriginOld English
Root WordBlaec / Blac
MeaningBlack, pale, bright
PopularityCommon
Peak Year2014
Trend
→ Stable
About the Name Blake
Blake has a paradoxical meaning: it can derive from the Old English blaec meaning black (dark) or blac meaning pale or bright. It was originally a surname for someone with notably dark or light coloring.
Blake is genuinely unisex. It has been used for both boys and girls for decades and sits comfortably in either category, though it trends slightly more masculine.
Blake has been consistently used since the 1990s. It peaked around 2014 in the US and remains in the top 300 for both genders.
Blake James, Blake Michael, Blake Ryan, and Blake Thomas work well for boys; Blake Morgan, Blake Christian, and Blake Alexander work for girls.
Blakes are often seen as cool, confident, and independent — the name has a clean, modern energy that works across many contexts.
Yes, Blake is an Old English occupational or descriptive surname that has been widely adopted as a given first name, following the surname-as-first-name trend.
Personality of Blake
Perceived character traits commonly associated with people named Blake
Creativity
82%
Elegance
80%
Independence
84%
Intelligence
80%
Strength
80%
Warmth
74%
Famous People Named Blake
B
Blake Lively
American actress, Serena van der Woodsen in Gossip Girl
B
Blake Shelton
American country singer and TV personality
W
William Blake
English Romantic poet, Songs of Innocence and Experience
Middle Names for Blake
Beautiful combinations that flow well with Blake
Blake James
Blake Michael
Blake Ryan
Blake Thomas
Blake Lee
Blake Christian
Blake Alexander
Blake Morgan
Blake Grey
Blake Reed
Names Similar to Blake
Similar Sound
Similar Meaning
Sibling Name Ideas
History of Blake
1200
Blake established as an English surname denoting dark or pale complexion
1757
William Blake born; becomes one of England's most celebrated Romantic poets
1980
Blake used as a given name for both boys and girls in the US
2007
Blake Lively stars in Gossip Girl, giving the name fresh appeal for a new generation
Numerology & Symbolism of Blake
4
Destiny Number
Sum of all letters
6
Soul Urge
Sum of vowels
♍
Zodiac Affinity
Scorpio
8
Lucky Number
Personal power digit
🎨
Lucky Color
Charcoal
💎
Lucky Stone
Black Onyx
🌸
Lucky Flower
Black-eyed Susan
Blake Around the World
How Blake is written in different languages and scripts
بليك
Arabic
ブレイク
Japanese
Блейк
Russian
블레이크
Korean
布莱克
Chinese
Μπλέικ
Greek
ब्लेक
Hindi
בְּלֵייק
Hebrew
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