Erma
A female given name from the Germanic languages, of rare usage, variant of Irma.
Every Erma since 1880 — 55,187 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Erma
Erma is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #5,292 in 2025 with 24 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 55,187 American babies have been named Erma. Its peak came in 1920, when 1,541 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Erma stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Erma 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 | 24 | #5,292 | — | — |
| 2024 | 14 | #7,710 | — | — |
| 2023 | 22 | #5,610 | — | — |
| 2022 | 20 | #6,060 | — | — |
| 2021 | 24 | #5,280 | — | — |
| 2020 | 20 | #5,932 | — | — |
| 2019 | 21 | #5,854 | — | — |
| 2018 | 12 | #8,785 | — | — |
| 2017 | 21 | #5,904 | — | — |
| 2016 | 13 | #8,548 | — | — |
| 2015 | 25 | #5,344 | — | — |
| 2014 | 21 | #6,057 | — | — |
| 2013 | 17 | #7,154 | — | — |
| 2012 | 20 | #6,420 | — | — |
| 2011 | 13 | #8,787 | — | — |
| 2010 | 16 | #7,636 | — | — |
| 2009 | 12 | #9,576 | — | — |
| 2008 | 26 | #5,482 | — | — |
| 2007 | 26 | #5,421 | — | — |
| 2006 | 26 | #5,285 | — | — |
| 2005 | 20 | #6,085 | — | — |
| 2004 | 27 | #4,854 | — | — |
| 2003 | 25 | #4,987 | — | — |
| 2002 | 24 | #4,956 | — | — |
| 2001 | 16 | #6,711 | — | — |
| 2000 | 23 | #5,043 | — | — |
| 1995 | 19 | #5,081 | — | — |
| 1990 | 27 | #3,830 | — | — |
| 1985 | 37 | #2,611 | — | — |
| 1980 | 53 | #1,986 | — | — |
| 1975 | 69 | #1,488 | — | — |
| 1970 | 83 | #1,296 | — | — |
| 1965 | 151 | #807 | — | — |
| 1960 | 241 | #654 | — | — |
| 1955 | 356 | #481 | — | — |
| 1950 | 544 | #331 | — | — |
| 1945 | 601 | #283 | — | — |
| 1940 | 741 | #228 | — | — |
| 1935 | 930 | #189 | 13 | #2,066 |
| 1930 | 1,207 | #169 | 11 | #2,495 |
| 1925 | 1,490 | #162 | 9 | #2,999 |
| 1920 | 1,529 | #152 | 12 | #2,503 |
| 1915 | 1,375 | #139 | 9 | #2,696 |
| 1910 | 577 | #140 | 6 | #1,467 |
| 1905 | 330 | #164 | — | — |
| 1900 | 275 | #188 | — | — |
| 1895 | 203 | #191 | — | — |
| 1890 | 135 | #205 | — | — |
| 1885 | 55 | #267 | — | — |
| 1880 | 30 | #284 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Erma mean?
A female given name from the Germanic languages, of rare usage, variant of Irma.
How popular is the name Erma in 2025?
Erma ranked #5,292 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 24 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Erma?
55,187 babies have been named Erma in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Erma most popular?
Erma peaked in 1920, when 1,541 newborns received the name.
Is Erma a boy or girl name?
Erma is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Erma rising or falling?
Erma has been roughly stable over the past decade.