boys' name ★ peaked 2006

Fernando

Gender Boy · 1% girls Rank 2025 #387 Trend → Stable

Fernando is a Spanish and Portuguese given name and a surname common in Spain, Portugal and former Spanish or Portuguese colonies in Latin America, Africa and Asia.

Rank 2025
#387
among boys · ↓35 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
819
named Fernando · -14% vs 2024
How common
1 in 2,086
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2006
2,765 babies
All-time total
103,729
#311 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Fernando popularity over time

103,729 babies have been named Fernando 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
0.380.751.131.518801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

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 – 53 53 5 – #632
1890s – 47 47 5 -11% #810
1900s – 91 91 9 +94% #573
1910s – 520 520 52 +471% #605
1920s – 1,415 1,415 142 +172% #445
1930s 6 1,417 1,423 142 +1% #426
1940s – 2,107 2,107 211 +48% #387
1950s 19 4,993 5,012 501 +138% #299
1960s 36 6,113 6,149 615 +23% #287
1970s 74 9,172 9,246 925 +50% #201
1980s 157 13,198 13,355 1,336 +44% #185
1990s 168 19,433 19,601 1,960 +47% #149
2000s 105 25,152 25,257 2,526 +29% #150
2010s 25 13,867 13,892 1,389 -45% #189
2020s (to 2025) – 5,561 5,561 927 -33% #342

Where Fernando is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (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 boys Implied rank
2026 805 0.47 #396
2027 793 0.46 #404
2028 783 0.46 #407
2029 774 0.45 #414
2030 767 0.45 #422

Where Fernando is most popular

Boys named Fernando per 1,000 boys born in each state, 2021–2025. National average: 0.535 per 1,000. Strongest in New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona.

Vs national average
well below below near national above well above no data

All 50 states and DC, sorted by rate. Counts are boys named Fernando born 2021–2025; the per-1,000 rate makes states of different sizes comparable, and the last column shows each state against the national average.

State Boys 2021–2025 Per 1,000 vs national
New Mexico 47 1.43 +166%
Texas 1,159 1.32 +146%
Arizona 215 1.31 +146%
California 1,144 1.25 +134%
Nevada 62 1.09 +103%
Oregon 53 0.698 +30%
Colorado 85 0.659 +23%
Illinois 150 0.587 +10%
Florida 264 0.558 ≈ national
Washington 91 0.556 ≈ national
Kansas 38 0.554 ≈ national
Nebraska 24 0.552 ≈ national
Oklahoma 44 0.497 -7%
North Carolina 116 0.454 -15%
New Jersey 88 0.437 -18%
Maryland 49 0.411 -23%
Georgia 104 0.411 -23%
Alabama 42 0.384 -28%
Virginia 72 0.379 -29%
Tennessee 68 0.377 -30%
Louisiana 38 0.371 -31%
Delaware 5 0.330 -38%
South Carolina 34 0.329 -39%
Indiana 50 0.312 -42%
New York 132 0.305 -43%
Wisconsin 36 0.304 -43%
Iowa 19 0.276 -49%
Arkansas 16 0.253 -53%
Utah 24 0.251 -53%
Massachusetts 33 0.240 -55%
Minnesota 28 0.228 -57%
Michigan 38 0.186 -65%
Kentucky 18 0.179 -66%
Connecticut 12 0.177 -67%
Ohio 42 0.158 -70%
Idaho 6 0.147 -73%
Pennsylvania 37 0.139 -74%
Missouri 19 0.137 -74%
Alaska – – –
District of Columbia – – –
Hawaii – – –
Maine – – –
Mississippi – – –
Montana – – –
North Dakota – – –
New Hampshire – – –
Rhode Island – – –
South Dakota – – –
Vermont – – –
West Virginia – – –
Wyoming – – –

State counts come from the Social Security Administration's state files, which omit any state-year with fewer than five babies of a name, so small states can undercount slightly.

The story of Fernando

Fernando is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #387 in 2025 with 819 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 103,729 American babies have been named Fernando. Its peak came in 2006, when 2,765 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2000s.

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

How old are people named Fernando?

The median living Fernando is about 27 years old; half are between 17 and 41. An estimated 95 thousand people named Fernando are alive in the United States today.

median 27 020406080100

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

Fernando 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 – – 819 #387
2024 – – 952 #352
2023 – – 970 #344
2022 – – 976 #342
2021 – – 906 #358
2020 – – 938 #342
2019 – – 1,065 #316
2018 – – 1,093 #311
2017 5 #16,680 1,142 #306
2016 – – 1,245 #289
2015 – – 1,348 #272
2014 – – 1,404 #264
2013 – – 1,429 #254
2012 9 #11,588 1,482 #243
2011 5 #17,666 1,706 #209
2010 6 #15,604 1,953 #189
2009 9 #11,789 2,126 #179
2008 5 #18,427 2,383 #164
2007 10 #11,098 2,687 #157
2006 7 #14,060 2,758 #151
2005 12 #9,073 2,440 #170
2004 18 #6,581 2,578 #155
2003 9 #10,725 2,554 #157
2002 15 #7,179 2,423 #159
2001 11 #8,961 2,601 #154
2000 9 #10,164 2,602 #150
1995 19 #5,086 1,872 #176
1990 18 #5,126 1,731 #179
1985 13 #5,456 1,292 #193
1980 13 #5,325 1,266 #196
1975 13 #4,671 914 #223
1970 – – 764 #276
1965 – – 549 #324
1960 5 #6,663 584 #323
1955 – – 532 #320
1950 – – 344 #364
1945 – – 220 #407
1940 – – 164 #453
1935 – – 128 #508
1930 – – 173 #449
1925 – – 162 #478
1920 – – 96 #647
1915 – – 56 #817
1910 – – 23 #605
1905 – – – –
1900 – – 12 #758
1895 – – 5 #1,139
1890 – – – –
1885 – – 9 #662
1880 – – 8 #703

Famous people named Fernando

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

  1. 1 Fernando Torres Fernando Torres Spanish football manager and player b. 1984 · Contemporary
  2. 2 Fernando Morientes Fernando Morientes Spanish footballer and manager (born 1976) Contemporary
  3. 3 Fernando Hierro Fernando Hierro Spanish football player and manager (born 1968) Contemporary
  4. 4 Fernando Pessoa Fernando Pessoa Portuguese poet, writer, and philosopher (1888–1935) 19th century
  5. 5 Fernando Redondo Fernando Redondo Argentine footballer (born 1969) Contemporary
  6. 6 Fernando Botero Fernando Botero Colombian painter and sculptor (1932–2023) Contemporary
  7. 7 Fernando Colunga Actor, Mexico b. 1966 · Contemporary
  8. 8 Fernando Meirelles Fernando Meirelles Brazilian filmmaker (born 1955) Contemporary
  9. 9 Fernando de la Rúa Fernando de la Rúa President of Argentina from 1999 to 2001 1937–2019 · Contemporary
  10. 10 Fernando Henrique Cardoso Fernando Henrique Cardoso President of Brazil from 1995 to 2003 b. 1931 · Contemporary
  11. 11 Fernando Rey Fernando Rey Spanish actor (1917–1994) Contemporary
  12. 12 Fernando Collor de Mello Fernando Collor de Mello President of Brazil from 1990 to 1992 b. 1949 · Contemporary
  13. 13 Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba Spanish military officer, statesman and diplomat (1507–1582) 16th century
  14. 14 Fernando Peyroteo Fernando Peyroteo Portuguese footballer (1918–1978) Contemporary
  15. 15 Fernando Lugo Fernando Lugo 48th President of Paraguay (2008–2012) b. 1951 · Contemporary
  16. 16 Fernando Sor Fernando Sor Spanish classical guitarist and composer (1778–1839) 18th century
  17. 17 Fernando Ocáriz Braña Religious figure, France b. 1944 · Contemporary
  18. 18 Fernando Riera Fernando Riera Chilean footballer (1920-2010) Contemporary
  19. 19 Fernando Filoni Fernando Filoni Italian cardinal (born 1946) Contemporary
  20. 20 Fernando Arrabal Fernando Arrabal Spanish writer and actor (born 1932) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Fernando?

The median living Fernando is about 27 years old. Half of all living Fernandos are between 17 and 41 years old.

How many people named Fernando are alive today?

An estimated 95 thousand people named Fernando are alive in the United States, based on 103,729 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Fernando mean?

Fernando is a Spanish and Portuguese given name and a surname common in Spain, Portugal and former Spanish or Portuguese colonies in Latin America, Africa and Asia.

How popular is the name Fernando in 2025?

Fernando ranked #387 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 819 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Fernando?

103,729 babies have been named Fernando in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Fernando most popular?

Fernando peaked in 2006, when 2,765 newborns received the name.

Is Fernando a boy or girl name?

Fernando is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 99% of babies with the name.

Is the name Fernando rising or falling?

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

Will Fernando become more popular?

Fernando is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 767 boys named Fernando in 2030, which would rank around #422. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Fernando?

Well-known people named Fernando include Fernando Torres (soccer player), Fernando Morientes (soccer player), Fernando Hierro (soccer player).

Names like Fernando

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

Compare Fernando with similar names → More names starting with F →