Erwin
Erwin is a boy's name of Germanic origin.
Meaning
Army friend or wild boar friend.
Origin and history
Erwin is a name of Old High German origin, derived from elements meaning 'army' or 'boar' paired with 'friend'. It was commonly used in Germany and central Europe before gaining steady use in the English-speaking world. In the United States, it enjoyed moderate popularity in the early to mid-20th century and remains a traditional classic today.
Popularity in the United States
21,213 babies in the United States have been named Erwin since 1880. It ranks #811 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1607.
States where it is most popular
- NY (14.4 %)
- CA (12.6 %)
- IL (9.9 %)
- TX (8.6 %)
- MI (7.6 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 217 |
| 1890-1900 | 404 |
| 1900-1910 | 569 |
| 1910-1920 | 3,350 |
| 1920-1930 | 4,480 |
| 1930-1940 | 2,622 |
| 1940-1950 | 1,673 |
| 1950-1960 | 1,759 |
| 1960-1970 | 1,452 |
| 1970-1980 | 913 |
| 1980-1990 | 989 |
| 1990-2000 | 899 |
| 2000-2010 | 947 |
| 2010-2019 | 619 |
| 2020-2029 | 320 |
Famous people named Erwin
- Erwin Schrödinger: Physicist, Nobel Laureate
- Erwin Chemerinsky: Legal Scholar, Law Dean
Fun facts
- The name combines the ancient elements 'heri' (army) or 'eo' (boar) with 'win' (friend).
- Theoretical physicist Erwin Schrödinger won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1933.