Erys
A feminine name of unknown origin, possibly a variant of Eris.
Name Census estimates that about 35 living Americans carry the first name Erys. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 82.9% of registrations being female. The average person named Erys today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Erys births was 2023 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Erys. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Erys with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Erys. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
35
~ 1 in 9,792,981 Americans
Peak year
2023
11 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,174
Tracked since 2019
Gender
Gender distribution for Erys
Erys leans heavily female at 82.9% of total registrations, but 6 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Erys as a male name
- Ranked #11,293 in 2024
- 6 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (6 births)
Erys as a female name
- Ranked #9,174 in 2023
- 11 female births in 2023
- Peak: 2023 (11 births)
Popularity
Erys: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Erys from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 29 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Erys 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 Erys 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 Erys
The name Erys is thought to have originated from the Old Welsh language, which was spoken in parts of what is now Wales and England during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Welsh word "eryr," which means "eagle." The name may have been given to children in admiration of the strength and majesty of this powerful bird of prey.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Erys can be found in the Welsh Triads, a collection of traditional folk tales and histories that date back to the 13th century. In these stories, Erys is mentioned as the name of a legendary Welsh warrior who fought against the invading Anglo-Saxons.
During the Middle Ages, the name Erys was relatively uncommon but was used occasionally by Welsh nobility and gentry. One notable historical figure with this name was Erys ap Gwilym (c. 1340-1400), a Welsh poet and court bard who served under several Welsh princes.
In the 16th century, the name Erys appeared in the writings of the Welsh antiquarian and scholar, John Leland (c. 1506-1552), who recorded it as a personal name used in Wales at that time.
Another notable bearer of the name Erys was Erys Gwyn (c. 1590-1670), a Welsh landowner and member of the gentry from Anglesey. He is remembered for his involvement in the English Civil War, where he supported the Royalist cause against the Parliamentarians.
In the 19th century, the name Erys was revived and became more popular among Welsh families, particularly in the wake of the Welsh Romantic movement, which celebrated Welsh culture and language. One notable figure from this period was Erys Newell (1823-1892), a Welsh poet and author who wrote extensively about Welsh history and folklore.
While the name Erys has never been exceptionally common, it has maintained a presence in Welsh culture and history over the centuries, reflecting the enduring pride and appreciation for the country's rich linguistic and literary heritage.
People
Erys + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Erys 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
Erys: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Erys?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 35 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Erys 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 9,792,981 US residents.
Is Erys a common name?
We classify Erys as "Very Rare". It ranks above 48.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 35 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Erys most popular?
The single biggest year for Erys was 2023, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Erys is about 4 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 Erys in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Erys a female name?
Yes, 82.9% of people registered as Erys 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 Erys still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Erys 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 Erys 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 common is the name Erys?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans are named Erys at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.