Total births
1,402
Boys' name · since 1908
Erling
Since 1908, U.S. Social Security records show 1,402 babies named Erling, peaking in 2023. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2924
- among boys today
- 1,402
- born since 1908
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 80%
- more common than other boys
1,402 babies have been named Erling since 1908, making it today's #2924 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Erling has been recorded 1,402 times among boys since 1908, currently ranked #2924 nationally and more common than 80% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1908 to 2025.
- #2924 among boys today
- 1,402 born since 1908
- 1920s peak decade
- 80% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Erling is currently the #2924 boys' name in America, more common than 80% of boys - 1,402 born since 1908, peaking in the 1920s.
- #2924
- among boys today
- 1,402
- born since 1908
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 80%
- more common than other boys
Erling vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2924
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 80% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
26% of everyone ever named Erling was born in this single decade.
2023
Single peak year
54 babies were named Erling in 2023 - its busiest year on record.
How Erling compares
1,402 Top 26% higher than 74% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Erling's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Erling | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,402 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 54 | 23 | 22,252 |
Erling's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Erling's full recorded timeline at 1942, 32% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 68% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1908, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2023 peak of 54 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Erling at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2023
Current rank
#2,924
Active since
1908
Erling popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1908–2025
- Peak year (2023)
- 54
- Annual births at peak, across 118 years of records
Erling by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Erling's strongest decade.
365 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Erling births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 5
1900s
5 births
- 1910s
1910s
330 births
- 1920s
1920s
365 births
- 1930s
1930s
227 births
- 1940s
1940s
153 births
- 1950s 89
1950s
89 births
- 1960s 56
1960s
56 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
- 2010s 5
2010s
5 births
- 2020s
2020s
167 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 365 births (26% of all-time use).
How Erling compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Erling's total volume
Erling vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Erling by state
Where Erling concentrates geographically, total births since 1908
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Minnesota | | 251 | 17.9% |
| #2 | North Dakota | | 135 | 9.6% |
| #3 | Wisconsin | | 67 | 4.8% |
| #4 | New York | | 27 | 1.9% |
| #5 | Washington | | 15 | 1.1% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 11 | 0.8% |
| #7 | Texas | | 11 | 0.8% |
| #8 | California | | 5 | 0.4% |
Minnesota share of Erling's total US births 17.9%
Even split
251 of 1,402 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 11 reporting states.
Erling appears in 11 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Erling? ▼
Since 1908, Social Security records show 1,402 babies named Erling. Today it holds rank #2924 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2023, with 54 births.
When was Erling most popular? ▼
Erling was most popular in the 1920s decade with 365 total births. The single peak year was 2023.
Where is Erling most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Erling are Minnesota (251 births), North Dakota (135 births), Wisconsin (67 births).
How long has the name Erling been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Erling since 1908 -- 118 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Erling? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Erle, Erland, Erlin, Erlon, and 2 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Erling's data
- Erling's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (365 total births) through the 2020s (167) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Minnesota records the most Erlings (251 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Minnesota names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Erling
Nearby Names Like Erling
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Erling
Erle Boy
855 births
Erland Boy
478 births
Erlin Boy
#4218 362 births
Erlon Boy
31 births
Erlan Boy
#13381 17 births
Compare Erling side by side: Erling vs Erle Erling vs Erland Erling vs Erlin
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Erling
Hart #2923
1,211 births · Peak 2025
Jeter #2925
1,057 births · Peak 2015
Terence #2922
34,290 births · Peak 1964
Oswaldo #2926
5,902 births · Peak 2006
Thompson #2921
2,725 births · Peak 2018
Baltazar #2927
2,743 births · Peak 2001
Mills #2920
919 births · Peak 2025
Rick #2928
81,829 births · Peak 1958
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1908–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Erling: #2924 Boys' Name - 1,402 Births, Peak 2023." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/erling. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Erling draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.