Fernie
A masculine name meaning "brave journey" or "dweller near the fern plants".
Name Census estimates that about 263 living Americans carry the first name Fernie. It is a predominantly male name (96.9% of registrations). The average person named Fernie today is around 52 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Fernie births was 1994 (15 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Fernie. 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
263
~ 1 in 1,303,248 Americans
Peak year
1994
15 babies that year
Average age
52
years old
2001 SSA rank
#4,469
Tracked since 1918
Gender
Gender distribution for Fernie
Fernie leans heavily male at 96.9% of total registrations, but 11 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Fernie as a male name
- Ranked #11,118 in 2001
- 5 male births in 2001
- Peak: 1994 (15 births)
Fernie as a female name
- Ranked #4,469 in 1939
- 5 female births in 1939
- Peak: 1918 (6 births)
Popularity
Fernie: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Fernie from the 1910s through to the 2000s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 62 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Fernie 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 Fernie during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Fernies live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, Texas, North Carolina recorded the most babies named Fernie, while North Carolina, Texas, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 33 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Fernie
The given name Fernie has its origins in the Old French language and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "ferne," which means "fern" or "bracken." The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname or a reference to someone who lived near an area abundant with ferns.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fernie can be found in the 13th-century French epic poem "Le Roman de la Rose." In this literary work, a character named Fernie is mentioned, though little is known about the historical context or significance of this particular character.
During the Middle Ages, the name Fernie gained popularity in parts of France and eventually spread to other regions of Europe. It was often associated with individuals who had a connection to nature or lived in rural areas surrounded by ferns or other vegetation.
One notable individual who bore the name Fernie was a 14th-century French poet and troubadour. While little is known about his life, his works were celebrated for their lyrical beauty and evocative descriptions of nature.
In the 16th century, a Scottish scholar and theologian named Fernie Douglas (1475-1545) made significant contributions to the field of religious studies. His writings and teachings influenced the intellectual discourse of his time and helped shape the understanding of Christian doctrine.
Another historical figure with the name Fernie was Fernie Brock (1768-1841), an English artist and engraver known for his intricate landscape paintings and etchings. His works captured the beauty of the English countryside and were highly regarded during his lifetime.
In the 19th century, Fernie Williamson (1832-1904) was a prominent Australian politician and advocate for workers' rights. He played a crucial role in the establishment of labor unions and the fight for better working conditions in the Australian colonies.
While the name Fernie may not have been as widely used as some other given names, it has left a notable imprint throughout history, particularly in the fields of literature, art, and social activism.
People
Fernie + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Fernie 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
Fernie: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Fernie?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 263 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Fernie 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 1,303,248 US residents.
Is Fernie a common name?
We classify Fernie as "Very Rare". It ranks above 77.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 355 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Fernie most popular?
The single biggest year for Fernie was 1994, when 15 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Fernie is about 52 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Fernie a male name?
Yes, 96.9% of people registered as Fernie 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.