Girl · #1,236 in 2026

Fern

Name: Popularity of the name Fern in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Fern, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Fern is an English topographic name from the Old English fearn. It refers to someone who lives among ferns. The name is used as a given name and a surname. The name is in use primarily in English-speaking countries. It has been in use since the 1800s and has also occasionally been in use for boys, though it is primarily a feminine name.

Current Rank

#1,236

Peak Rank

#152 (1918)

Total Babies

38K

5-Yr Trend

+43%

1880

First Year

2026

Last Year

1918

Peak Year

#152

Peak Rank

38K

Total Count

147

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Fern

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

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

The Story of Fern

Fern first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 10 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1918, when 1,341 Ferns were born — ranking #164 that year. As of 2026, Fern ranks #1,236 for baby girls with 187 births, rising sharply (+43% over the past five years). In total, more than 38K Ferns have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Fern

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

Furn
Firn
Fearn
Ferne
Frn
From
Firm
Ferm
Frm
Firme
Ferme
Fry

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Fern

What does the name Fern mean?

How popular is Fern in 2026?

In 2026, Fern ranks #1,236 among girls' names in the U.S., with 187 babies given the name that year.

When was Fern most popular?

Fern reached its peak popularity in 1918, ranking #152 that year with 1,341 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Fern most popular?

Fern has historically been most popular in Utah, Idaho, Kansas. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Fern.

Is Fern a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Fern is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Fern?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Fern include Elise, Birdie, Rena. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Fern

Fern is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 38K births in the dataset. Fern's peak popularity came in 1918 when it ranked #152. Use the chart and map above to compare Fern'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.