Erwin
A male given name from the Germanic languages, of rare usage, variant of Irwin.
Every Erwin since 1880 — 21,262 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Erwin
Erwin is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,402 in 2025 with 57 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 21,262 American babies have been named Erwin. Its peak came in 1922, when 513 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 Erwin stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Erwin 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 | — | — | 57 | #2,402 |
| 2024 | — | — | 57 | #2,429 |
| 2023 | — | — | 54 | #2,489 |
| 2022 | — | — | 51 | #2,624 |
| 2021 | — | — | 48 | #2,664 |
| 2020 | — | — | 53 | #2,445 |
| 2019 | — | — | 51 | #2,562 |
| 2018 | — | — | 50 | #2,557 |
| 2017 | — | — | 46 | #2,689 |
| 2016 | — | — | 53 | #2,420 |
| 2015 | — | — | 48 | #2,576 |
| 2014 | — | — | 66 | #2,102 |
| 2013 | — | — | 62 | #2,146 |
| 2012 | — | — | 71 | #1,993 |
| 2011 | — | — | 81 | #1,784 |
| 2010 | — | — | 91 | #1,689 |
| 2009 | — | — | 94 | #1,672 |
| 2008 | — | — | 80 | #1,831 |
| 2007 | — | — | 106 | #1,498 |
| 2006 | — | — | 93 | #1,577 |
| 2005 | — | — | 109 | #1,375 |
| 2004 | — | — | 101 | #1,407 |
| 2003 | — | — | 94 | #1,413 |
| 2002 | — | — | 98 | #1,348 |
| 2001 | — | — | 80 | #1,514 |
| 2000 | — | — | 92 | #1,374 |
| 1995 | — | — | 79 | #1,321 |
| 1990 | — | — | 88 | #1,158 |
| 1985 | — | — | 96 | #929 |
| 1980 | — | — | 111 | #836 |
| 1975 | — | — | 79 | #923 |
| 1970 | — | — | 108 | #791 |
| 1965 | — | — | 137 | #640 |
| 1960 | — | — | 190 | #566 |
| 1955 | — | — | 175 | #555 |
| 1950 | — | — | 141 | #573 |
| 1945 | — | — | 151 | #491 |
| 1940 | — | — | 184 | #430 |
| 1935 | — | — | 249 | #350 |
| 1930 | — | — | 370 | #298 |
| 1925 | — | — | 429 | #275 |
| 1920 | — | — | 460 | #255 |
| 1915 | — | — | 423 | #235 |
| 1910 | — | — | 72 | #290 |
| 1905 | — | — | 58 | #261 |
| 1900 | — | — | 43 | #326 |
| 1895 | — | — | 46 | #262 |
| 1890 | — | — | 35 | #291 |
| 1885 | — | — | 26 | #334 |
| 1880 | — | — | 16 | #446 |
Famous people named Erwin
- Erwin Rommel Military personnel · 1891–1944
- Erwin Schrödinger Physicist · 1887–1961
- Erwin von Witzleben Military personnel · 1881–1944
- Erwin Panofsky Historian · 1892–1968
- Erwin Piscator Politician · 1893–1966
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Erwin mean?
A male given name from the Germanic languages, of rare usage, variant of Irwin.
How popular is the name Erwin in 2025?
Erwin ranked #2,402 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 57 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Erwin?
21,262 babies have been named Erwin in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Erwin most popular?
Erwin peaked in 1922, when 513 newborns received the name.
Is Erwin a boy or girl name?
Erwin is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Erwin rising or falling?
Erwin has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Erwin?
Well-known people named Erwin include Erwin Rommel (military personnel), Erwin Schrödinger (physicist), Erwin von Witzleben (military personnel).