Erma

#5,238 for girls in 2025, 24 births · Last seen for boys in 1951 at #3,714
Given to girls 99.6% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1911 · 595 births
Debut · girls
30 births
In top 100 · girls
never
of 146 years
Total births · girls
54,949
since 1880

Erma over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Erma has never cracked the top 100 here.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201938peak #138, 1911girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#5,23824—
2024#7,59414—
2023#5,54922—
2022#5,98420—
2021#5,23724—
2020#5,85020—
2019#5,79821—
2018#8,61712—
2017#5,82121—
2016#8,39313—
2015#5,28825—
2014#5,99321—
2013#7,03117—
2012#6,34120—
2011#8,61413—
2010#7,51316—
2009#9,37912—
2008#5,43426—
2007#5,37726—
2006#5,23326—
2005#5,99920—
2004#4,81627—
2003#4,94325—
2002#4,90624—
2001#6,61916—
2000#4,98123—
1999#6,48415—
1998#5,36319—
1997#4,66022—
1996#4,58322—
1995#5,01919—
1994#4,23824—
1993#3,35133—
1992#4,23624—
1991#3,54030—
1990#3,81327—
1989#3,40230—
1988#3,22530—
1987#2,61238—
1986#2,47040—
1985#2,60137—
1984#2,62535—
1983#2,47537—
1982#2,32742—
1981#2,30543—
1980#1,98153—
1979#2,21844—
1978#1,98748—
1977#1,97649—
1976#1,71456—
1975#1,48169—
1974#1,59859—
1973#1,45066—
1972#1,22686—
1971#1,35079—
1970#1,29383—
1969#1,059107—
1968#958116—
1967#1,07194—
1966#823146—
1965#807151—
1964#695220—
1963#758184—
1962#702216—
1961#657244—
1960#653241—
1959#607269—
1958#562303—
1957#501358—
1956#528308—
1955#481356—
1954#430412—
1953#424419—
1952#385457—
1951#363490#3,7145
1950#330544—
1949#333546#3,6905
1948#308616#3,3166
1947#313608—
1946#297603—
1945#283601—
1944#273640#2,4679
1943#258719—
1942#249754#2,9407
1941#237727—
1940#227741—
1939#212792#2,28810
1938#216786#3,5345
1937#203833—
1936#201842#3,1476
1935#188930#2,02913
1934#1801,008#2,9737
1933#176985#2,7388
1932#1661,167#2,19112
1931#1631,151#3,7635
1930#1691,207#2,44411
1929#1661,246—
1928#1571,382#4,1515
1927#1611,379#3,4517
1926#1571,485—
1925#1621,490#2,9369
1924#1681,424#3,0239
1923#1681,389#3,8226
1922#1631,411#3,2528
1921#1581,525#2,63211
1920#1521,529#2,45912
1919#1471,497#4,1685
1918#1531,463#2,8829
1917#1481,436—
1916#1451,378#2,9268
1915#1391,375#2,6219
1914#147993#2,9156
1913#140865#2,2737
1912#141774#2,0457
1911#138595#1,7405
1910#140577#1,4216
1909#145487—
1908#144477—
1907#150439—
1906#139444—
1905#164330—
1904#157345—
1903#165302—
1902#166288—
1901#183236—
1900#188275—
1899#173247—
1898#188240—
1897#185213—
1896#199192—
1895#191203—
1894#185211—
1893#203155—
1892#198160—
1891#192139—
1890#205135—
1889#23796—
1888#25383—
1887#26862—
1886#26064—
1885#26655—
1884#26853—
1883#28738—
1882#31731—
1881#29728—
1880#28230—
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Erma was already there! It came in at #282, and was given to 30 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 2009–2011, when fewer than 17 girls a year got the name.

Where Erma is popular in 1938

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Erma, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 girls named Erma, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Erma, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Erma, so not publishedNHWashington: fewer than 5 girls named Erma, so not publishedWAIdaho: #178 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 835 girlsIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Erma, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Erma, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #285 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 3,000 girlsMNIllinois: #286 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 2,760 girlsILWisconsin: #310 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 3,979 girlsWIMichigan: #201 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 1,626 girlsMINew York: #413 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 6,111 girlsNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 girls named Erma, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Erma, so not publishedRIOregon: #196 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 1,253 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Erma, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Erma, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Erma, so not publishedSDIowa: #189 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 1,455 girlsIAIndiana: #168 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 1,185 girlsINOhio: #181 for girls · 37 births · 1 in 1,380 girlsOHPennsylvania: #197 for girls · 49 births · 1 in 1,518 girlsPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 girls named Erma, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Erma, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #301 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 2,226 girlsCAUtah: #150 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 598 girlsUTColorado: #223 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 1,269 girlsCONebraska: #152 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 903 girlsNEMissouri: #161 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 866 girlsMOKentucky: #276 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 2,016 girlsKYWest Virginia: #108 for girls · 39 births · 1 in 488 girlsWVVirginia: #190 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 1,083 girlsVAMaryland: #173 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 1,036 girlsMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Erma, so not publishedDEArizona: #168 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 586 girlsAZNew Mexico: #194 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 792 girlsNMKansas: #166 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 1,025 girlsKSArkansas: #45 for girls · 80 births · 1 in 234 girlsARTennessee: #196 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 1,085 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #182 for girls · 36 births · 1 in 1,027 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #366 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 3,416 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Erma, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #110 for girls · 42 births · 1 in 484 girlsOKLouisiana: #264 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 1,389 girlsLAMississippi: #156 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 644 girlsMSAlabama: #222 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 1,222 girlsALGeorgia: #268 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 1,712 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Erma, so not publishedHITexas: #187 for girls · 69 births · 1 in 836 girlsTXFlorida: #162 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 646 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Arkansas#45 · 1 in 234
  2. West Virginia#108 · 1 in 488
  3. Oklahoma#110 · 1 in 484
  4. Utah#150 · 1 in 598
  5. Nebraska#152 · 1 in 903

Best ever in a state: #9 in Utah, 1910.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Arkansas#45801 in 234
West Virginia#108391 in 488
Oklahoma#110421 in 484
Utah#15081 in 598
Nebraska#152101 in 903
Mississippi#156351 in 644
Missouri#161311 in 866
Florida#162211 in 646
Kansas#166121 in 1,025
Arizona#16881 in 586
Indiana#168221 in 1,185
Maryland#173121 in 1,036
Idaho#17851 in 835
Ohio#181371 in 1,380
North Carolina#182361 in 1,027
Texas#187691 in 836
Iowa#189131 in 1,455
Virginia#190221 in 1,083
New Mexico#19471 in 792
Oregon#19651 in 1,253
Tennessee#196251 in 1,085
Pennsylvania#197491 in 1,518
Michigan#201261 in 1,626
Alabama#222241 in 1,222
Colorado#22371 in 1,269
Louisiana#264161 in 1,389
Georgia#268181 in 1,712
Kentucky#276141 in 2,016
Minnesota#28571 in 3,000
Illinois#286201 in 2,760
California#301201 in 2,226
Wisconsin#31061 in 3,979
South Carolina#36661 in 3,416
New York#413141 in 6,111
Alaska———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Maine———
Massachusetts———
Montana———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Jersey———
North Dakota———
Rhode Island———
South Dakota———
Vermont———
Washington———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Erma
Momentum · girls
Holding steady
  • 2,356 spots since 2024 (#7,594 → #5,238)
  • 612 spots since 2020 (#5,850 → #5,238)
  • 50 spots since 2015 (#5,288 → #5,238)
  • Biggest jump: 113 spots in 1968 (#1,071 → #958)
  • Biggest drop: 248 spots in 1967 (#823 → #1,071)
Rise & fade · girls
31 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1911 at #138 (595 births)
  • Births halved by 1959, 48 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 1,000 for 88 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 88 yrs · run 1880–1966
Share of babies · girls
1 in 665
  • Highest: 1 in 665 girls born in 1906 were named Erma (0.15%)
  • Latest: 1 in 66,969 girls born in 2025 (0.00%)
  • Its best rank, #138 in 1911, was only 1 in 703 (0.14%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · girls
The 1920s
  • 26.0% of all girls named Erma (14,260) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s540#237 (1889)#274
1890s1,895#173 (1899)#192
1900s3,623#139 (1906)#160
1910s10,953#138 (1911)#144
1920s14,260#152 (1920)#161
1930s9,701#163 (1931)#187
1940s6,555#227 (1940)#278
1950s3,916#330 (1950)#461
1960s1,719#653 (1960)#818
1970s639#1,226 (1972)#1,629
1980s385#1,981 (1980)#2,602
1990s235#3,351 (1993)#4,529
2000s225#4,816 (2004)#5,769
2010s179#5,288 (2015)#6,941
2020s124#5,237 (2021)#5,909

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Erma in 1938

girls
#216
786 births · 1 in 1,404 girls
boys
#3,534
5 births · 1 in 221,829 boys

Top girls' names in 1938

  1. #1Mary56,225
  2. #2Barbara39,277
  3. #3Patricia27,560
  4. #4Betty25,506
  5. #5Shirley23,766
  6. #6Carol19,421
  7. #7Nancy18,951
  8. #8Dorothy16,358
  9. #9Margaret15,330
  10. #10Joan14,303
  11. #216Erma786

Top boys' names in 1938

  1. #1Robert62,271
  2. #2James59,102
  3. #3John50,517
  4. #4William42,433
  5. #5Richard34,385
  6. #6Charles31,151
  7. #7Donald26,677
  8. #8David22,994
  9. #9Thomas21,381
  10. #10Ronald20,295
  11. #3,534Erma5
More about 1938

girls

1,103,456 girls got a published name in 1938; 1 in 1,404 of them was named Erma, which outranked 95.7% of the 4,995 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Erma
  1. #213Carmen793
  2. #214Ernestine791
  3. #215Susie790
  4. #216Erma786
  5. #216Daisy786
  6. #218Janie778
  7. #219Flora775
  8. #220Miriam768

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1937
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,209Danielle#2,940 → #731
  2. ↑ 833Lorelei#1,451 → #618
  3. ↑ 623Helaine#1,493 → #870
  4. ↑ 399Janine#1,330 → #931
  5. ↑ 392Imelda#1,282 → #890
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,261Noreta#964 → #2,225
  2. ↓ 513Norita#532 → #1,045
  3. ↓ 432Noretta#856 → #1,288
  4. ↓ 366Ferne#950 → #1,316
  5. ↓ 327Verdell#904 → #1,231

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,109,147 boys got a published name in 1938; 1 in 221,829 of them was named Erma, which outranked 12.4% of the 4,035 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Erma
  1. #3,175Willmer6
  2. #3,175Wyndell6
  3. #3,175Zoltan6
  4. #3,534Erma5
  5. #3,534Able5
  6. #3,534Abundio5
  7. #3,534Adams5

Tied with 501 names at #3,534; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1937
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,314Dion#2,197 → #883
  2. ↑ 448Tex#1,212 → #764
  3. ↑ 425Lonny#1,233 → #808
  4. ↑ 401Gonzalo#1,180 → #779
  5. ↑ 383Lance#722 → #339
Fallers
  1. ↓ 741Worth#1,000 → #1,741
  2. ↓ 528Estel#869 → #1,397
  3. ↓ 492Milburn#845 → #1,337
  4. ↓ 412Lonzo#835 → #1,247
  5. ↓ 405Joy#932 → #1,337

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1938 →