Ermalee
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly a blend of Germanic elements.
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Ermalee. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ermalee today is around 90 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ermalee births was 1927 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ermalee. 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 Ermalee is about 90 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Ermalees were born before 1946.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Ermalee. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1927
13 babies that year
Average age
90
years old
1939 SSA rank
#4,445
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Ermalee: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ermalee from the 1910s through to the 1930s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 66 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Ermalee remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ermalee 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 Ermalee during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Ermalee
The given name Ermalee is believed to have originated from the Germanic languages, with roots tracing back to the early medieval period. It is a combination of two distinct elements: "Erm," which means "whole" or "entire," and "lee," derived from the Old English word "leah," meaning a meadow or a clearing in a forest.
One of the earliest recorded instances of a similar name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, an extensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name "Ermelina" appears in this historical document, suggesting a connection to the name Ermalee.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the name Ermalee. One of the earliest recorded was Ermalee Calkins (1863-1946), an American educator and activist who campaigned for women's rights and played a significant role in establishing the National Council of Women.
Another notable figure was Ermalee Hawkins (1908-1988), an American actress and vaudeville performer known for her roles in several Broadway productions and Hollywood films in the 1930s and 1940s.
In the realm of literature, Ermalee Paschal (1924-2012) was an acclaimed American author and poet, best known for her collections of poetry exploring themes of nature, spirituality, and the human experience.
The world of classical music also saw the prominence of Ermalee Russell (1918-2004), an American opera singer who performed with the Metropolitan Opera and was celebrated for her powerful mezzo-soprano voice.
Lastly, Ermalee Hickel (1919-2011) was an influential American businesswoman and philanthropist who co-founded the Hickel Investment Company and supported various charitable causes in Alaska, where she resided.
These historical figures, spanning different eras and fields, have contributed to the richness and diversity associated with the given name Ermalee, carrying forward its Germanic roots and adding to its cultural significance.
People
Ermalee + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ermalee 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
Ermalee: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ermalee?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ermalee 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Ermalee a common name?
We classify Ermalee as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 106 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ermalee most popular?
The single biggest year for Ermalee was 1927, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ermalee is about 90 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 Ermalee in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ermalee a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ermalee 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.
Is Ermalee still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ermalee 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 Ermalee 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 Ermalee?
Want to know how many Americans are named Ermalee? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.