Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1916

Erna

Meaning Erna is a Germanic feminine given name Gender Girl Rank 2025 Below top lists

Erna is a Germanic feminine given name.

Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Erna
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1916
358 babies
All-time total
9,071
#1,786 all-time among girls
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Erna popularity over time

9,071 babies have been named Erna since 1880, 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
0.190.380.560.7518801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
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 201 – 201 20 – #373
1890s 879 – 879 88 +337% #256
1900s 1,045 5 1,050 105 +19% #308
1910s 2,465 – 2,465 247 +135% #321
1920s 2,035 6 2,041 204 -17% #414
1930s 1,047 – 1,047 105 -49% #587
1940s 590 – 590 59 -44% #781
1950s 379 – 379 38 -36% #1,303
1960s 181 – 181 18 -52% #2,312
1970s 70 – 70 7 -61% #4,150
1980s 19 – 19 2 -73% #8,303
1990s 15 – 15 2 -21% #13,966
2000s 95 – 95 10 +533% #7,439
2010s 33 – 33 3 -65% #11,565
2020s (to 2025) 6 – 6 1 -70% #14,017

The story of Erna

Erna is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1880, 9,071 American babies have been named Erna. Its peak came in 1916, when 358 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1910s.

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 Erna stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Erna?

The median living Erna is about 76 years old; half are between 64 and 85. An estimated 1,400 people named Erna are alive in the United States today.

median 76 020406080100

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

Erna 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 – – – –
2024 – – – –
2023 – – – –
2022 – – – –
2021 6 #14,017 – –
2020 – – – –
2019 – – – –
2018 – – – –
2017 5 #16,625 – –
2016 6 #14,906 – –
2015 – – – –
2014 – – – –
2013 5 #17,384 – –
2012 8 #12,589 – –
2011 – – – –
2010 9 #11,565 – –
2009 6 #15,863 – –
2008 8 #12,974 – –
2007 7 #14,378 – –
2006 7 #14,041 – –
2005 11 #9,658 – –
2004 10 #10,154 – –
2003 11 #9,248 – –
2002 11 #9,040 – –
2001 14 #7,439 – –
2000 10 #9,386 – –
1995 – – – –
1990 – – – –
1985 – – – –
1980 5 #10,860 – –
1975 6 #8,300 – –
1970 10 #5,158 – –
1965 13 #3,605 – –
1960 26 #2,327 – –
1955 44 #1,545 – –
1950 41 #1,436 – –
1945 56 #1,037 – –
1940 82 #781 – –
1935 96 #681 – –
1930 133 #597 – –
1925 191 #508 – –
1920 258 #414 – –
1915 310 #339 – –
1910 120 #362 – –
1905 117 #311 – –
1900 115 #308 – –
1895 103 #276 – –
1890 71 #295 – –
1885 15 #561 – –
1880 10 #557 – –

Famous people named Erna

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Erna Solberg Erna Solberg Prime Minister of Norway from 2013 to 2021 b. 1961 · Contemporary
  2. 2 Erna Siikavirta Finnish keyboardist b. 1977 · Contemporary
  3. 3 Erna Berger German soprano 1900–1990 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Erna?

The median living Erna is about 76 years old. Half of all living Ernas are between 64 and 85 years old.

How many people named Erna are alive today?

An estimated 1,400 people named Erna are alive in the United States, based on 9,071 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Erna mean?

Erna is a Germanic feminine given name.

How popular is the name Erna in 2025?

Erna did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Erna?

9,071 babies have been named Erna in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Erna most popular?

Erna peaked in 1916, when 358 newborns received the name.

Is Erna a boy or girl name?

Erna is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Erna rising or falling?

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

Who are famous people named Erna?

Well-known people named Erna include Erna Solberg (politician), Erna Siikavirta (singer), Erna Berger (singer).

Names like Erna

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

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