Boys' name · since 1887
Ethelbert
Ethelbert has 178 recorded births since 1887 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1916 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #13,672 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 178
- born since 1887
- 1920s
- peak decade
Ethelbert sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 178 recorded since 1887.
Ethelbert has 178 recorded births among boys since 1887, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1887 to 1975.
- #13,672 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 178 born since 1887
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ethelbert ranks #13,672 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 178 born since 1887, peaking in the 1920s.
- #13,672 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 178
- born since 1887
- 1920s
- peak decade
Ethelbert's 178 recorded births place it above 69.88% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by New York.
Ethelbert's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Ethelbert's SSA record in two at 1924 and the more recent half accounts for 42% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 58%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1892, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1916 peak of 14, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Ethelbert popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1887–1975
- Peak year (1916)
- 14
- Annual births at peak, across 89 years of records
Ethelbert popularity over time - girls
5 total births recorded since 1927 (Ethelbert as girls' name)
Ethelbert by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (68 births, 38% of the file).
1920s was Ethelbert's strongest decade.
68 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 38% of all-time use.
Ethelbert births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 6
1880s
6 births
- 1890s 5
1890s
5 births
- 1910s
1910s
58 births
- 1920s
1920s
68 births
- 1930s 26
1930s
26 births
- 1940s 10
1940s
10 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 68 births (38% of all-time use).
Ethelbert by state
Where Ethelbert concentrates geographically, total births since 1887
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 5 | 2.8% |
5 of 178 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Ethelbert's data
- Ethelbert's decade-level peak was the 1920s (68 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1970s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Ethelberts (5 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 Ethelbert
Nearby Names Like Ethelbert
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ethelbert
Compare Ethelbert side by side: Ethelbert vs Ethan Ethelbert vs Ethen Ethelbert vs Ethyn
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Ethelbert: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1916)
Similar record span (~88 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, 1887–1975 (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 Ethelbert 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.