girl's name
Erin
EH-rin
- Origin Irish
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 4
- Popularity Top 100 (E&W)
- Births on record 390,632
the United States
#835
2025 births
Erin is a girl's name of Irish origin meaning "Ireland." It comes from Éirinn, a grammatical form of Éire, the island's own name for itself, so the name is literally the country.
- Erin is a name of Irish origin.
- Peaked in US records in 1983, when 15,050 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade in US records.
- Today about 1 in 832 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1888.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Erin over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. Erin is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 11 |
| 1890s | 52 |
| 1900s | 80 |
| 1910s | 221 |
| 1920s | 201 |
| 1930s | 210 |
| 1940s | 587 |
| 1950s | 4,591 |
| 1960s | 16,518 |
| 1970s | 70,769 |
| 1980s | 118,013 |
| 1990s | 66,970 |
| 2000s | 34,196 |
| 2010s | 10,779 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 2,855 |
What Erin means
Erin means Ireland. It is not a word describing a quality but the name of the country in a particular grammatical case, which is why it has no meaning beyond the place itself.
Where Erin comes from
Erin anglicizes Éirinn, the dative form of the Irish Éire, which traces to the Old Irish Ériu — in mythology a goddess of the land, one of three sisters who each offered her name to the island. Ériu won. Because Irish inflects its nouns, the poetic phrase in Éirinn, in Ireland, was heard by English speakers as a name, and Erin go bragh, Ireland forever, carried it further. The name was almost unused in Ireland itself until recently: it is an outsider's version of the country's name, adopted first by the diaspora.
Erin in use
Our data shows Erin falling rather than rising, peaking in 1983, at 72 in England and Wales against 835 in the United States. It first appears in our records in 1888. It is one of the few names we have written up past its peak in both markets rather than reviving.
How popular is Erin?
In 2025, Erin was given to 633 babies in England and Wales, ranking #72 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Where Erin is used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
How Erin is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Érin | Érin is a rare spelling of Erin, written with an acute accent and recorded about 98 times, mostly in France. | 98 |
| Erín | Erín is a rare spelling of Erin, written with a fada and recorded 13 times, mostly in Ireland. | 13 |
Names that peaked alongside Erin
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Erin also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Erin over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Erin
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Erin in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Erin
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Erin — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Erin
What does the name Erin mean?
Erin means "Ireland" — it is a grammatical form of Éire, the island's Irish name.
Is Erin a common name in Ireland?
Historically no. It is an outsider's version of the country's name, adopted first by the diaspora rather than at home.
Where does Éire come from?
From the Old Irish Ériu, a goddess of the land. In myth she and two sisters each offered their name to the island, and hers was chosen.
How popular is the name Erin?
In 2025, Erin was given to 633 babies in England and Wales, ranking #72 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Is Erin a girl's or a boy's name?
Erin is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Erin?
Erin has 2 syllables.
When was Erin most popular?
Erin peaked in 1983, when 15,050 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Erin?
Erin is usually shortened to Rin.
Is Erin a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Erin currently ranks #25 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.