Girl · #863 in 2026

Erin

Erin is a personal name taken from the Hiberno-English word for Ireland, originating from the Irish word "Éirinn". "Éirinn" is the dative case of the Irish word for Ireland, "Éire", genitive "Éireann", the dative being used in prepositional phrases such as "go hÉirinn" "to Ireland", "in Éirinn" "in Ireland", "ó Éirinn" "from Ireland".

Current Rank
#863
Peak Rank
#18 (1983)
Total Babies
317K
5-Yr Trend
-43%
1888
First Year
2026
Last Year
1983
Peak Year
#18
Peak Rank
317K
Total Count
134
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Erin

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Erin is a personal name taken from the Hiberno-English word for Ireland, originating from the Irish word "Éirinn". "Éirinn" is the dative case of the Irish word for Ireland, "Éire", genitive "Éireann", the dative being used in prepositional phrases such as "go hÉirinn" "to Ireland", "in Éirinn" "in Ireland", "ó Éirinn" "from Ireland".

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Erin

Erin first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1888, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1983, when 14,837 Erins were born — ranking #18 that year. As of 2026, Erin ranks #863 for baby girls with 314 births, falling sharply (-43%). In total, more than 317K Erins have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Erin

Phonetically similar names — useful when Erin is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Erin

What does the name Erin mean?
Erin is a personal name taken from the Hiberno-English word for Ireland, originating from the Irish word "Éirinn". "Éirinn" is the dative case of the Irish word for Ireland, "Éire", genitive "Éireann", the dative being used in prepositional phrases such as "go hÉirinn" "to Ireland", "in Éirinn" "in Ireland", "ó Éirinn" "from Ireland".
How popular is Erin in 2026?
In 2026, Erin ranks #863 among girls' names in the U.S., with 314 babies given the name that year.
When was Erin most popular?
Erin reached its peak popularity in 1983, ranking #18 that year with 14,837 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Erin most popular?
Erin has historically been most popular in Vermont, Delaware, Massachusetts. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Erin.
Is Erin a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Erin is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Erin?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Erin include Catherine, Teresa, Hazel. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Catherine
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Teresa
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👧
Hazel
Peak #18
👧
Tina
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👧
Jamie
Peak #18
👧
Louise
Peak #17
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Lois
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Courtney
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About the name Erin

Erin is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1888 and has accumulated 317K births in the dataset. Erin's peak popularity came in 1983 when it ranked #18. Use the chart and map above to compare Erin's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.