Girl nameCurrently #1,261 in the USRising
Fern
FURN//fɜːrn//
1 syllablePeak year: 19184 lettersStarts with F
Meaning & origin
Fern plant
Fern is a simple nature name for the delicate, feathery-leaved plant, associated in Victorian flower symbolism with sincerity and fascination. Popular in the early 20th century, it retains an understated, woodland charm.
Fern's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Fern |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 10 |
| 1881 | 10 |
| 1882 | 26 |
| 1883 | 19 |
| 1884 | 45 |
| 1885 | 44 |
| 1886 | 42 |
| 1887 | 69 |
| 1888 | 77 |
| 1889 | 108 |
| 1890 | 119 |
| 1891 | 124 |
| 1892 | 172 |
| 1893 | 194 |
| 1894 | 204 |
| 1895 | 184 |
| 1896 | 218 |
| 1897 | 245 |
| 1898 | 265 |
| 1899 | 232 |
| 1900 | 266 |
| 1901 | 217 |
| 1902 | 244 |
| 1903 | 287 |
| 1904 | 281 |
| 1905 | 278 |
| 1906 | 282 |
| 1907 | 276 |
| 1908 | 364 |
| 1909 | 353 |
| 1910 | 401 |
| 1911 | 442 |
| 1912 | 620 |
| 1913 | 708 |
| 1914 | 835 |
| 1915 | 1,201 |
| 1916 | 1,349 |
| 1917 | 1,277 |
| 1918 | 1,356 |
| 1919 | 1,197 |
| 1920 | 1,325 |
| 1921 | 1,318 |
| 1922 | 1,224 |
| 1923 | 1,187 |
| 1924 | 1,075 |
| 1925 | 991 |
| 1926 | 920 |
| 1927 | 863 |
| 1928 | 819 |
| 1929 | 692 |
| 1930 | 641 |
| 1931 | 583 |
| 1932 | 509 |
| 1933 | 522 |
| 1934 | 470 |
| 1935 | 436 |
| 1936 | 403 |
| 1937 | 376 |
| 1938 | 383 |
| 1939 | 327 |
| 1940 | 333 |
| 1941 | 306 |
| 1942 | 318 |
| 1943 | 300 |
| 1944 | 281 |
| 1945 | 268 |
| 1946 | 284 |
| 1947 | 255 |
| 1948 | 245 |
| 1949 | 243 |
| 1950 | 236 |
| 1951 | 250 |
| 1952 | 231 |
| 1953 | 264 |
| 1954 | 237 |
| 1955 | 216 |
| 1956 | 232 |
| 1957 | 187 |
| 1958 | 177 |
| 1959 | 204 |
| 1960 | 183 |
| 1961 | 164 |
| 1962 | 94 |
| 1963 | 114 |
| 1964 | 105 |
| 1965 | 84 |
| 1966 | 71 |
| 1967 | 70 |
| 1968 | 56 |
| 1969 | 49 |
| 1970 | 72 |
| 1971 | 41 |
| 1972 | 31 |
| 1973 | 33 |
| 1974 | 25 |
| 1975 | 22 |
| 1976 | 16 |
| 1977 | 20 |
| 1978 | 16 |
| 1979 | 28 |
| 1980 | 17 |
| 1981 | 28 |
| 1982 | 31 |
| 1983 | 17 |
| 1984 | 21 |
| 1985 | 13 |
| 1986 | 5 |
| 1987 | 8 |
| 1988 | 19 |
| 1989 | 15 |
| 1990 | 9 |
| 1991 | 9 |
| 1992 | 5 |
| 1993 | 8 |
| 1994 | 13 |
| 1995 | 13 |
| 1996 | 6 |
| 1997 | 11 |
| 1998 | 10 |
| 1999 | 13 |
| 2000 | 18 |
| 2001 | 9 |
| 2002 | 11 |
| 2003 | 13 |
| 2004 | 19 |
| 2005 | 18 |
| 2006 | 16 |
| 2007 | 10 |
| 2008 | 27 |
| 2009 | 26 |
| 2010 | 33 |
| 2011 | 34 |
| 2012 | 45 |
| 2013 | 46 |
| 2014 | 65 |
| 2015 | 86 |
| 2016 | 87 |
| 2017 | 86 |
| 2018 | 127 |
| 2019 | 108 |
| 2020 | 135 |
| 2021 | 141 |
| 2022 | 153 |
| 2023 | 156 |
| 2024 | 200 |
Fern through the decades
- Fern peaked in 1918, when 1,356 babies were named Fern in the US.
- The 1920s were Fern's strongest decade, averaging 1,041 births a year.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Fern has risen 300% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Fern currently ranks #1,261 in the US and is on the rise.
Nicknames
Fern
Variants & spellings
Ferne