Erline
An inventive feminine name possibly inspired by the Old English "erlene" meaning "meadowlark".
Name Census estimates that about 283 living Americans carry the first name Erline. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Erline today is around 74 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Erline births was 1927 (72 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Erline. 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 Erline is about 74 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Erlines were born before 1962.
People living today
283
~ 1 in 1,211,146 Americans
Peak year
1927
72 babies that year
Average age
74
years old
2005 SSA rank
#17,301
Tracked since 1897
Popularity
Erline: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Erline from the 1890s through to the 2000s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 556 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Erline 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 Erline during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Erlines live
The SSA's state-level files cover 11 states and territories. South Carolina, Alabama, Texas recorded the most babies named Erline, while Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 34 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Erline
The given name Erline has its origins in the Germanic languages, derived from the Old High German name Erlinda or Erlint. It is a compound name composed of the elements "hari" meaning army and "lind" meaning tender or soft. Essentially, the name means "tender warrior" or "gentle fighter."
This name first appeared in written records during the medieval period, particularly in regions where Germanic tribes settled, such as present-day Germany, Austria, and parts of Switzerland. It was a popular name among the nobility and upper classes during this time.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Erline can be found in the Codex Traditionum Monasterii Sancti Emmerami, a medieval cartulary from the Benedictine monastery of St. Emmeram in Regensburg, Germany, dated around the 9th century.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Erline. One such person was Erline von Grünenberg (1350-1420), a German noblewoman and landowner from the Swabian region of Germany. She was known for her philanthropic work and patronage of the arts.
Another notable Erline was Erline von Reitzenstein (1490-1560), a German abbess who served as the leader of the Benedictine convent of Niedermünster in Regensburg from 1529 until her death. She played a significant role in the religious and cultural life of the city during the Reformation period.
In the 16th century, Erline von Württemberg (1545-1618) was a German princess and member of the House of Württemberg. She was known for her involvement in court politics and her patronage of the arts and culture.
Moving to more recent times, Erline von Grüningen (1884-1962) was a Swiss poet and author who gained recognition for her lyrical works and contributions to the German literary scene of the early 20th century.
Another notable figure was Erline Klinger (1909-1982), a German artist and sculptor. She was part of the avant-garde art movement in Germany and is known for her abstract and modernist sculptures and installations.
While the name Erline was more prevalent in historical times, particularly in Germanic regions, it has become less common in modern times. However, its rich linguistic heritage and association with notable figures throughout history have preserved its significance as a unique and meaningful given name.
People
Erline + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Erline 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
Erline: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Erline?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 283 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Erline 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 1,211,146 US residents.
Is Erline a common name?
We classify Erline as "Very Rare". It ranks above 78.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,640 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Erline most popular?
The single biggest year for Erline was 1927, when 72 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Erline is about 74 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Erline a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Erline in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.