Fernando
Boy name · #387 in 2025 · Distinctive
Fernando ranks #387 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 819 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #272, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,198 boys born in 2025 was named Fernando.
The 145-year story
Fernando first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 8 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2006, when 2,758 boys were named Fernando — good for #151 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.
Babies named Fernando per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Fernando against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Fernando in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Fernando is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Fernando is most common
Geography matters for names, and Fernando is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Fernando is most common in AZ (1.3 per 1,000), CA (1.1 per 1,000), TX (1.1 per 1,000), NV (1.1 per 1,000), OR (0.9 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.6 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Fernando is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Fernando
Statistically, parents drawn to Fernando tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Armando, Eduardo, Ricardo, Francisco, and Gerardo.
ArmandoEduardoRicardoFranciscoGerardoMarcoOrlandoPablo
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Fernando | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 819 | #387 |
| 2024 | 952 | #352 |
| 2023 | 970 | #344 |
| 2022 | 976 | #342 |
| 2021 | 906 | #358 |
| 2020 | 938 | #342 |
| 2019 | 1,065 | #315 |
| 2018 | 1,093 | #311 |
| 2017 | 1,142 | #306 |
| 2016 | 1,245 | #289 |
| 2015 | 1,348 | #272 |
| 2014 | 1,404 | #264 |
| 2013 | 1,429 | #254 |
| 2012 | 1,482 | #243 |
| 2011 | 1,706 | #209 |
| 2010 | 1,953 | #189 |
| 2009 | 2,126 | #179 |
| 2008 | 2,383 | #164 |
| 2007 | 2,687 | #157 |
| 2006 | 2,758 | #151 |
| 2005 | 2,440 | #170 |
| 2004 | 2,578 | #155 |
| 2003 | 2,554 | #157 |
| 2002 | 2,423 | #159 |
| 2001 | 2,601 | #153 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Fernando a popular boy name?
Fernando ranked #387 among boys in 2025 with 819 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #272.
When was the name Fernando most popular?
Fernando peaked in 2006, when 2,758 American boys received the name (ranked #151 that year). Since 2006 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Fernando?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,198 newborn American boys was named Fernando. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.