Irwin
From a medieval given name Erwin, from Eoforwine, from Old English eofor (“boar”) + wine (“friend”), the latter of which is from Proto-West Germanic *wini.
Every Irwin since 1880 — 15,958 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Irwin
Irwin is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #6,600 in 2025 with 13 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 15,958 American babies have been named Irwin. Its peak came in 1925, when 534 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 Irwin stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Irwin 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 | — | — | 13 | #6,600 |
| 2024 | — | — | 17 | #5,524 |
| 2023 | — | — | 6 | #11,374 |
| 2022 | — | — | 13 | #6,617 |
| 2021 | — | — | 16 | #5,633 |
| 2020 | — | — | 19 | #4,926 |
| 2019 | — | — | 20 | #4,867 |
| 2018 | — | — | 20 | #4,817 |
| 2017 | — | — | 12 | #6,857 |
| 2016 | — | — | 16 | #5,649 |
| 2015 | — | — | 18 | #5,149 |
| 2014 | — | — | 12 | #6,800 |
| 2013 | — | — | 9 | #8,367 |
| 2012 | — | — | 26 | #3,941 |
| 2011 | — | — | 27 | #3,832 |
| 2010 | — | — | 25 | #4,037 |
| 2009 | — | — | 18 | #5,175 |
| 2008 | — | — | 32 | #3,448 |
| 2007 | — | — | 47 | #2,620 |
| 2006 | — | — | 44 | #2,676 |
| 2005 | — | — | 30 | #3,343 |
| 2004 | — | — | 40 | #2,664 |
| 2003 | — | — | 36 | #2,751 |
| 2002 | — | — | 43 | #2,391 |
| 2001 | — | — | 36 | #2,646 |
| 2000 | — | — | 38 | #2,496 |
| 1995 | — | — | 37 | #2,190 |
| 1990 | — | — | 44 | #1,792 |
| 1985 | — | — | 30 | #1,936 |
| 1980 | — | — | 30 | #1,881 |
| 1975 | — | — | 29 | #1,725 |
| 1970 | — | — | 34 | #1,445 |
| 1965 | — | — | 57 | #981 |
| 1960 | — | — | 87 | #820 |
| 1955 | — | — | 107 | #710 |
| 1950 | — | — | 146 | #560 |
| 1945 | — | — | 186 | #438 |
| 1940 | — | — | 229 | #378 |
| 1935 | — | — | 382 | #279 |
| 1930 | — | — | 486 | #254 |
| 1925 | 7 | #4,206 | 527 | #247 |
| 1920 | — | — | 333 | #316 |
| 1915 | — | — | 261 | #325 |
| 1910 | — | — | 49 | #368 |
| 1905 | — | — | 30 | #386 |
| 1900 | — | — | 32 | #395 |
| 1895 | — | — | 39 | #285 |
| 1890 | — | — | 17 | #448 |
| 1885 | — | — | 12 | #563 |
| 1880 | — | — | 22 | #366 |
Famous people named Irwin
- Irwin Rose Biologist · 1926–2015
- Irwin Shaw Writer · 1913–1984
- Irwin Allen Film director · 1916–1991
- Irwin Winkler Film director · b. 1931
- Irwin I. Shapiro Astronomer · b. 1929
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Irwin mean?
From a medieval given name Erwin, from Eoforwine, from Old English eofor (“boar”) + wine (“friend”), the latter of which is from Proto-West Germanic *wini.
How popular is the name Irwin in 2025?
Irwin ranked #6,600 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 13 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Irwin?
15,958 babies have been named Irwin in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Irwin most popular?
Irwin peaked in 1925, when 534 newborns received the name.
Is Irwin a boy or girl name?
Irwin is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Irwin rising or falling?
Irwin has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Irwin?
Well-known people named Irwin include Irwin Rose (biologist), Irwin Shaw (writer), Irwin Allen (film director).