Draft:BehindTheName
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Behind the Name[1] is a website dedicated to listing the history and etymology of given names, as well as surnames, and place names.[2][3][4] As of 2026, the site has over 30,000 given names, 8,600 surnames, and 2,600 place names in its main database.[5][6][7] It is listed on the American Name Society's website as a resource for personal names and surnames.[8]
 | |
| Formerly | The Etymology of First Names |
|---|---|
Type of site | Onomastics database |
| Available in | English |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| Owners |
|
| Created by | Mike Campbell |
| Editors |
|
| URL | www |
| Registration | Optional |
| Users | ~278,000 |
| Launched | January 1996 |
| Current status | Active |
History
The site was founded by Mike Campbell in 1996, and was originally called "The Etymology of First Names", though this was changed to Behind The Name in 2000. The site expanded to include surnames in 2002 and place names in 2011.[9]
Site Content
In addition to the main name database, the site has a database of names submitted by users of the site. These names are edited and verified by editors, and can be added to the main collection by the editor-in-chief of the site. As of 2026, over 385,000 names have been submitted to the site.[9]
The site hosts name popularity data from over 50 countries and sub-regions, typically released by official government statistics agencies. This data is visualized across the different countries on individual name pages.
The site also hosts message boards, name polls, advanced name search and trivia games.