Boy · #5,237 in 2026

Essex

Essex is a ceremonial county in the East of England. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the south, Greater London to the south-west, and Hertfordshire to the west. The largest settlement is Southend-on-Sea.

Current Rank
#5,237
Peak Rank
#787 (2026)
Total Babies
449
5-Yr Trend
Stable
2023
First Year
2023
Last Year
2023
Peak Year
#11156
Peak Rank
8
Total Count
1
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Essex

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

Essex is a ceremonial county in the East of England. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the south, Greater London to the south-west, and Hertfordshire to the west. The largest settlement is Southend-on-Sea.

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

Origin & history
Main article: History of Essex Essex evolved from the Kingdom of the East Saxons , a polity which is likely to have its roots in the territory of the Iron Age Trinovantes tribe.

The Story of Essex

Essex first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1882, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 18 Essexs were born — ranking #5,237 that year. As of 2026, Essex ranks #5,237 for baby boys with 18 births, with steady use. In total, more than 449 Essexs 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
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OH
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Top 10
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No data

Names that sound like Essex

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

  • Esx
  • Sxe
  • Acics
  • Isx
  • Esex
  • Ethics
  • Esox
  • Osx
  • Esic
  • Asics
  • Isaacs
  • Wessex

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Essex

What does the name Essex mean?
Essex is a ceremonial county in the East of England. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the south, Greater London to the south-west, and Hertfordshire to the west. The largest settlement is Southend-on-Sea.
How popular is Essex in 2026?
In 2026, Essex ranks #5,237 among boys' names in the U.S., with 18 babies given the name that year.
When was Essex most popular?
Essex reached its peak popularity in 2026, ranking #787 that year with 18 babies given the name.
Is Essex a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Essex is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Essex?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Essex include Rexford, Karen, Refugio. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

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About the name Essex

Essex is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1882 and has accumulated 449 births in the dataset. Essex's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #787. Use the chart and map above to compare Essex'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.