Erlean
An English feminine name of unknown meaning and origin.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Erlean. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Erlean today is around 79 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Erlean births was 1919 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Erlean. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Erlean is about 79 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Erleans were born before 1957.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Erlean. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1919
7 babies that year
Average age
79
years old
1947 SSA rank
#4,917
Tracked since 1913
Popularity
Erlean: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Erlean from the 1910s through to the 1940s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 38 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Erlean by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Erlean during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Erlean
The name Erlean is believed to have its origins in the Old English language, derived from the Germanic roots "erl" meaning "earl" or "noble" and "lēan" meaning "reward" or "recompense." This combination suggests that the name may have originally been associated with individuals of high social standing or those who were recognized for their achievements or merits.
During the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain, which spanned from the 5th to the 11th centuries, names with similar roots and spellings were not uncommon. Variations such as Earlene, Erline, and Erlinda can be found in historical records from this era, indicating the popularity and widespread use of these names among the Germanic tribes that settled in the British Isles.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Erlean can be traced back to the 9th century, when a noblewoman by the name of Erlean of Mercia was mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. This historical record provides evidence of the name's usage during the reign of the Mercian kings, a powerful kingdom in what is now central England.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Erlean appeared sporadically in various chronicles and manuscripts, though its usage was not as widespread as some other Germanic names of the time. One notable bearer of the name was Erlean of Salisbury (c. 1090-1165), an English noblewoman and landowner who played a significant role in the political affairs of her time.
As the centuries passed, the name Erlean experienced a resurgence in popularity during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly in parts of the United States and Canada. This can be attributed, in part, to the influence of literary works and popular culture, which often drew inspiration from historical figures and names with distinctive roots.
Among the notable individuals who bore the name Erlean in more recent history are Erlean Culberson (1883-1959), an American educator and activist who dedicated her life to promoting education and civil rights; Erlean Clunie (1904-1996), a Canadian artist known for her vibrant landscape paintings; and Erlean Hines (1914-2002), an American businesswoman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to various charitable organizations.
Overall, the name Erlean has a rich history rooted in the Germanic languages and has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds and eras, each leaving their mark on the cultural and social fabric of their respective times.
People
Erlean + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Erlean as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Erlean: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Erlean?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Erlean going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Erlean a common name?
We classify Erlean as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 68 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Erlean most popular?
The single biggest year for Erlean was 1919, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Erlean is about 79 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Erlean in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Erlean a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Erlean in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Erlean still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Erlean in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Erlean can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Erlean as a first name?
If you just want to know how many Americans are named Erlean, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.