Ebony: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#5,452

among girls · ↑43 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Ebony

How common

1 in 69,881

girls born in 2025

Peak year

1982

2,315 babies

All-time total

39,453

#701 all-time among girls

First recorded

1950

in Social Security records

Ebony popularity over time

39,453 babies have been named Ebony since 1950, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Girls	Boys	Total	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1900s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1910s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1920s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1930s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1940s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1950s	6	–	6	1	–	#4,895
1960s	59	–	59	6	+883%	#2,266
1970s	6,688	177	6,865	687	+11536%	#184
1980s	18,263	201	18,464	1,846	+169%	#132
1990s	10,174	61	10,235	1,024	-45%	#186
2000s	2,911	16	2,927	293	-71%	#553
2010s	742	–	742	74	-75%	#1,747
2020s (to 2025)	155	–	155	26	-65%	#4,270

Where Ebony is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 girls (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 girls	Implied rank
2026	21	0.01	outside top 500
2027	20	0.01	outside top 500
2028	19	0.01	outside top 500
2029	18	0.01	outside top 500
2030	17	0.01	outside top 500

The story of Ebony

Ebony is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #5,452 in 2025 with 23 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1950, 39,453 American babies have been named Ebony. Its peak came in 1982, when 2,315 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1980s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Ebony stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Ebony?

The median living Ebony is about 39 years old; half are between 33 and 44. An estimated 38 thousand people named Ebony are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Ebony year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Girls	Girls rank	Boys	Boys rank
2025	23	#5,452	–	–
2024	23	#5,495	–	–
2023	19	#6,235	–	–
2022	28	#4,829	–	–
2021	33	#4,270	–	–
2020	29	#4,575	–	–
2019	37	#3,946	–	–
2018	45	#3,449	–	–
2017	47	#3,355	–	–
2016	70	#2,546	–	–
2015	56	#3,039	–	–
2014	71	#2,520	–	–
2013	105	#1,910	–	–
2012	94	#2,048	–	–
2011	98	#2,002	–	–
2010	119	#1,747	–	–
2009	171	#1,384	–	–
2008	182	#1,346	5	#13,087
2007	208	#1,206	–	–
2006	227	#1,103	–	–
2005	257	#961	–	–
2004	307	#818	5	#11,871
2003	333	#749	–	–
2002	372	#676	–	–
2001	380	#662	–	–
2000	474	#553	6	#9,446
1995	907	#306	7	#7,229
1990	1,567	#186	21	#2,991
1985	1,787	#160	17	#2,863
1980	1,581	#175	21	#2,388
1975	616	#352	29	#1,720
1970	55	#1,686	–	–
1965	–	–	–	–
1960	–	–	–	–
1955	–	–	–	–
1950	6	#4,895	–	–
1945	–	–	–	–
1940	–	–	–	–
1935	–	–	–	–
1930	–	–	–	–
1925	–	–	–	–
1920	–	–	–	–
1915	–	–	–	–
1910	–	–	–	–
1905	–	–	–	–
1900	–	–	–	–
1895	–	–	–	–
1890	–	–	–	–
1885	–	–	–	–
1880	–	–	–	–

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Ebony, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Ebony?

The median living Ebony is about 39 years old. Half of all living Ebonys are between 33 and 44 years old.

How many people named Ebony are alive today?

An estimated 38 thousand people named Ebony are alive in the United States, based on 39,453 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Ebony mean?

From ebony. First used by African Americans in the 1970s.

How popular is the name Ebony in 2025?

Ebony ranked #5,452 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 23 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Ebony?

39,453 babies have been named Ebony in the United States since 1950, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Ebony most popular?

Ebony peaked in 1982, when 2,315 newborns received the name.

Is Ebony a boy or girl name?

Ebony is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 99% of babies with the name.

Is the name Ebony rising or falling?

Ebony is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Will Ebony become more popular?

Ebony is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 17 girls named Ebony in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Names like Ebony

Names that sound and feel close to Ebony: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Ebony with similar names → More names starting with E →