Erving
Every Erving since 1881 — 940 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Erving
Erving 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 1881, 940 American babies have been named Erving. Its peak came in 1921, when 23 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 Erving stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Erving year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | 5 | #12,739 |
| 2017 | 6 | #11,178 |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | 7 | #9,981 |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | 8 | #9,244 |
| 2008 | 5 | #13,142 |
| 2007 | 9 | #8,397 |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | 6 | #10,502 |
| 2004 | 11 | #6,680 |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | 6 | #9,748 |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | 11 | #6,042 |
| 1995 | 10 | #5,628 |
| 1990 | 15 | #3,839 |
| 1985 | 8 | #4,839 |
| 1980 | 8 | #4,633 |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | 6 | #4,404 |
| 1965 | 8 | #3,062 |
| 1960 | 5 | #4,213 |
| 1955 | 10 | #2,639 |
| 1950 | 10 | #2,482 |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | 11 | #2,224 |
| 1935 | 7 | #3,051 |
| 1930 | 13 | #2,216 |
| 1925 | 19 | #1,830 |
| 1920 | 14 | #2,253 |
| 1915 | 20 | #1,572 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | 6 | #1,138 |
| 1900 | 6 | #1,211 |
| 1895 | 5 | #1,134 |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Erving
- Erving Goffman Sociologist · 1922–1982
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Erving in 2025?
Erving 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 Erving?
940 babies have been named Erving in the United States since 1881, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Erving most popular?
Erving peaked in 1921, when 23 newborns received the name.
Is Erving a boy or girl name?
Erving is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Erving rising or falling?
Erving is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Erving?
Well-known people named Erving include Erving Goffman (sociologist).