Boys' name · since 1881
Erving
Since 1881, U.S. Social Security records show 940 babies named Erving, peaking in 1921. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #5,328 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 940
- born since 1881
- 1920s
- peak decade
Erving is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 940 have been recorded since 1881.
Social Security Administration records show Erving recorded 940 times among boys since 1881, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1881 to 2018.
- #5,328 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 940 born since 1881
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Erving ranks #5,328 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 940 born since 1881, peaking in the 1920s.
- #5,328 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 940
- born since 1881
- 1920s
- peak decade
Erving's 940 recorded births place it above 88.27% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by New York.
Erving's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Erving splits its recorded history at 1954: 44% of all births land in the more recent half, 56% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1895 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1921 peak of 23 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Erving popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1881–2018
- Peak year (1921)
- 23
- Annual births at peak, across 138 years of records
Erving by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (165 births, 18% of the file).
1920s was Erving's strongest decade.
165 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.
Erving births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 7
1880s
7 births
- 1890s 5
1890s
5 births
- 1900s 23
1900s
23 births
- 1910s
1910s
124 births
- 1920s
1920s
165 births
- 1930s
1930s
100 births
- 1940s 64
1940s
64 births
- 1950s
1950s
102 births
- 1960s 47
1960s
47 births
- 1970s 47
1970s
47 births
- 1980s
1980s
103 births
- 1990s
1990s
79 births
- 2000s 56
2000s
56 births
- 2010s 18
2010s
18 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 165 births (18% of all-time use).
How Erving 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 Erving's total volume
Erving by state
Where Erving concentrates geographically, total births since 1881
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 12 | 1.3% |
| #2 | California | | 6 | 0.6% |
12 of 940 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Erving's data
- Erving's decade-level peak was the 1920s (165 total births); usage has since declined to 18 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Ervings (12 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Erving
Nearby Names Like Erving
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Erving
Compare Erving side by side: Erving vs Ervin Erving vs Erven Erving vs Ervan
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Erving: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1921)
Similar record span (~137 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1881–2018 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Erving 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 August 2026.