Ferman
A Turkish masculine name derived from the Arabic word "ferman" meaning "decree, order, command".
Name Census estimates that about 600 living Americans carry the first name Ferman. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Ferman today is around 58 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ferman births was 1921 (33 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ferman. 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.
People living today
600
~ 1 in 571,257 Americans
Peak year
1921
33 babies that year
Average age
58
years old
2024 SSA rank
#12,862
Tracked since 1886
Popularity
Ferman: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ferman from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 266 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
Ferman 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 Ferman during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Fermans live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. Texas, North Carolina, California recorded the most babies named Ferman, while Louisiana, Georgia, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 17 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Ferman
The given name Ferman is believed to have originated from the Persian language. It is derived from the Old Persian word "ferman," which means "command" or "decree." This name dates back to ancient Persia, which is now modern-day Iran, and it was likely associated with individuals who held positions of authority or were issued with royal decrees.
During the Achaemenid Empire (550-330 BCE), the term "ferman" was commonly used in official documents and royal proclamations. It is possible that the name Ferman was given to individuals who were tasked with delivering or executing these decrees. However, there is limited historical evidence of specific individuals bearing this name during that era.
The earliest recorded example of the name Ferman can be found in the writings of Persian poets and scholars from the 10th to 12th centuries CE. One notable figure was Ferman Kashi, a renowned Persian poet and scholar who lived in the 11th century. His poetry and literary works contributed significantly to the preservation and promotion of the Persian language and culture.
In the 16th century, during the Safavid Dynasty in Persia, the name Ferman gained popularity among the nobility and royal court. One prominent individual was Ferman Khan, a governor and military commander who served under Shah Abbas I (1588-1629). Ferman Khan played a crucial role in the expansion and consolidation of the Safavid Empire.
Another historical figure bearing the name Ferman was Ferman Ali Pasha, an Ottoman statesman and diplomat who lived in the 18th century. He served as the Grand Vizier (prime minister) of the Ottoman Empire from 1770 to 1771 and played a significant role in the modernization efforts of the Ottoman state.
In the 19th century, Ferman Ismail Pasha was a prominent Egyptian statesman and diplomat who served as the Prime Minister of Egypt from 1865 to 1866. He was instrumental in implementing economic and administrative reforms during the reign of Khedive Ismail Pasha.
While the name Ferman has its roots in ancient Persia, it has been adopted and used across various cultures and regions influenced by Persian civilization, including parts of Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Ottoman Empire.
People
Ferman + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ferman as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with F
Other first names starting with F with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ferman: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ferman?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 600 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ferman 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 571,257 US residents.
Is Ferman a common name?
We classify Ferman as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,375 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ferman most popular?
The single biggest year for Ferman was 1921, when 33 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ferman is about 58 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ferman a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ferman 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.
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.