Ephraim
Boy name · #988 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Ephraim? In official American birth records, Ephraim has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Ephraim ranks #988 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 231 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #925, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 7,792 boys born in 2025 was named Ephraim.
Babies named Ephraim per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Ephraim first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 18 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2017, when 260 boys were named Ephraim — good for #848 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ephraim against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ephraim in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Ephraim is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Ephraim will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Ephraim is most common
Geography matters for names, and Ephraim is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Ephraim is most common in UT (0.6 per 1,000), IN (0.3 per 1,000), NY (0.3 per 1,000), PA (0.3 per 1,000), NC (0.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Ephraim is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Ephraim
Statistically, parents drawn to Ephraim tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Efraim, Chaim, Naim, Karim, and Hashim.
EfraimChaimNaimKarimHashimAvrahamEdisonEliezer
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ephraim | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 231 | #988 |
| 2024 | 232 | #976 |
| 2023 | 224 | #977 |
| 2022 | 202 | #1078 |
| 2021 | 229 | #973 |
| 2020 | 210 | #1005 |
| 2019 | 221 | #968 |
| 2018 | 223 | #938 |
| 2017 | 260 | #848 |
| 2016 | 254 | #871 |
| 2015 | 231 | #925 |
| 2014 | 229 | #929 |
| 2013 | 210 | #948 |
| 2012 | 199 | #1001 |
| 2011 | 174 | #1073 |
| 2010 | 181 | #1059 |
| 2009 | 184 | #1039 |
| 2008 | 179 | #1058 |
| 2007 | 152 | #1162 |
| 2006 | 151 | #1132 |
| 2005 | 147 | #1116 |
| 2004 | 143 | #1101 |
| 2003 | 115 | #1253 |
| 2002 | 88 | #1447 |
| 2001 | 72 | #1629 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Ephraim?
In official American birth records, the name Ephraim first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 18 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Ephraim a popular boy name?
Ephraim ranked #988 among boys in 2025 with 231 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #925.
When was the name Ephraim most popular?
Ephraim peaked in 2017, when 260 American boys received the name (ranked #848 that year). Since 2017 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Ephraim?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 7,792 newborn American boys was named Ephraim. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.