Ensign
A junior commissioned officer rank in the US Navy and Coast Guard.
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Ensign. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Ensign today is around 67 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ensign births was 1963 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ensign. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Ensign is about 67 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Ensigns were born before 1969.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Ensign. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1963
5 babies that year
Average age
67
years old
1963 SSA rank
#4,236
Tracked since 1963
Popularity
Ensign: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Ensign by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Ensign during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Ensign
The name Ensign has its origins in the Old French language, derived from the word "enseigne," which means "sign" or "standard." This name was initially used to refer to a military rank or position, specifically a junior officer who carried the flag or standard into battle.
During the Middle Ages, the name Ensign gained prominence as it became associated with military service and honor. In medieval times, the role of an ensign was highly respected, as they were responsible for carrying and protecting the flag, a symbol of their lord's or king's authority.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Ensign can be found in the 14th century English text, "The Canterbury Tales" by Geoffrey Chauer. In this literary work, the character Ensign is mentioned as a military officer carrying a standard.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Ensign. One of the most famous was Ensign John Proctor (1595-1692), a colonial-era soldier and landowner in Salem, Massachusetts. He was famously tried and executed during the Salem Witch Trials for refusing to confess to witchcraft.
Another significant figure was Ensign James Ferguson (1735-1776), a Scottish-American soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. He was killed in action during the Battle of Long Island and is remembered as a patriot and hero.
In the 19th century, Ensign John Davis (1809-1851) was a British naval officer and explorer who surveyed and mapped parts of the Arctic region. His expeditions contributed significantly to the understanding of the Arctic geography and climate.
Ensign Walter Nowak (1900-1944) was a Polish military officer who served during World War II. He was a member of the Polish Underground resistance and was executed by the Nazis for his role in the Warsaw Uprising.
Ensign Jesse Brown (1926-1950) was an African American naval officer and aviator who served in the Korean War. He was the first Black pilot in the U.S. Navy to be killed in action and received numerous honors for his bravery and service.
People
Ensign + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ensign as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ensign: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ensign?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ensign going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Ensign a common name?
We classify Ensign as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ensign most popular?
The single biggest year for Ensign was 1963, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ensign is about 67 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Ensign in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ensign a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ensign in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Ensign still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ensign in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Ensign can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Ensign?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.