English
Below 5 births
Below 5 births
About English
A rare surname-style choice, English was occasionally used as a given name in the first half of the 20th-century, though since 1961, it has been most given (albeit very quietly) to girls in the US. Originally given to those living on the Wales and Scottish borders, English refers to anything relating to England, its people, or language.
English for girls
A surname not often heard as a first, except in the case of English Gardner, the American track and field Olympian. Originally given to those who lived on the borders of Wales and Scotland, it literally means "relating to England, its people, or language" and is derived from the name of a Germanic tribe, the Angles. As such, it may more figuratively relate to the meanings "narrow" or "fishing hook".
Given to a small number of girls in the US since the 1960s, it had its peak in 1983, when it was given to 22 girls.
Pronounced ING-glish.
As of October 2026, English ranked #8839 in US births in 1992 SSA, peaked at #1017 in 1889.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · boys | Births · boys | US rank · girls | Births · girls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like English.