Ebony

#5,410 for girls in 2025, 23 births · Last seen for boys in 2008 at #12,553
Given to girls 98.8% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1982 · 2,279 births
Debut · girls
6 births
In top 100 · girls
never
of 146 years
Total births · girls
38,998
since 1950

Ebony over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Ebony has never cracked the top 100 here.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201989peak #132, 1982girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#5,41023—
2024#5,44323—
2023#6,16919—
2022#4,79328—
2021#4,24533—
2020#4,54829—
2019#3,92337—
2018#3,43845—
2017#3,34647—
2016#2,53970—
2015#3,02456—
2014#2,51771—
2013#1,900105—
2012#2,04794—
2011#2,00098—
2010#1,747119—
2009#1,383171—
2008#1,345182#12,5535
2007#1,205208—
2006#1,102227—
2005#958257—
2004#816307#11,3565
2003#749333—
2002#675372—
2001#661380—
2000#552474#9,1126
1999#489530#9,9125
1998#433614#9,6315
1997#375722—
1996#347801#7,9716
1995#305907#6,9927
1994#280994—
1993#2411,164—
1992#2131,349#5,6609
1991#1951,526#5,9428
1990#1861,567#2,95221
1989#1761,577#2,10633
1988#1641,726#3,70513
1987#1571,748#3,52113
1986#1651,662#3,44013
1985#1601,787#2,82817
1984#1372,130#2,36421
1983#1352,219#2,49319
1982#1322,279#1,65436
1981#1781,554#2,89815
1980#1751,581#2,36721
1979#1841,443#2,37920
1978#1981,320#2,47318
1977#2131,157#2,06323
1976#265896#2,11322
1975#351616#1,70429
1974#404499#2,05021
1973#551299#2,51315
1972#645236#2,24317
1971#828167#2,81312
1970#1,68155—
1969#2,25432—
1968#3,31516—
1967#6,8045—
1966#5,8096—
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1950#4,7386—
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First appearance
1950

The first year at least five girls were named Ebony! It came in at #4,738, and was given to 6 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1951–1965, when fewer than 5 girls a year got the name.

Where Ebony is popular in 1989

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Ebony, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 girls named Ebony, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Ebony, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Ebony, so not publishedNHWashington: #312 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 1,843 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Ebony, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Ebony, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Ebony, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #407 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 3,143 girlsMNIllinois: #146 for girls · 96 births · 1 in 805 girlsILWisconsin: #282 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 1,953 girlsWIMichigan: #156 for girls · 68 births · 1 in 889 girlsMINew York: #138 for girls · 152 births · 1 in 781 girlsNYMassachusetts: #505 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 4,277 girlsMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Ebony, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 girls named Ebony, so not publishedORNevada: #255 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 1,229 girlsNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Ebony, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Ebony, so not publishedSDIowa: fewer than 5 girls named Ebony, so not publishedIAIndiana: #271 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 1,717 girlsINOhio: #184 for girls · 62 births · 1 in 1,127 girlsOHPennsylvania: #217 for girls · 50 births · 1 in 1,437 girlsPANew Jersey: #114 for girls · 74 births · 1 in 648 girlsNJConnecticut: #186 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 1,125 girlsCTCalifornia: #337 for girls · 126 births · 1 in 1,936 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Ebony, so not publishedUTColorado: #337 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,058 girlsCONebraska: #259 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 1,520 girlsNEMissouri: #120 for girls · 51 births · 1 in 638 girlsMOKentucky: #323 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 2,365 girlsKYWest Virginia: #279 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 1,759 girlsWVVirginia: #123 for girls · 55 births · 1 in 675 girlsVAMaryland: #115 for girls · 47 births · 1 in 589 girlsMDDelaware: #129 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 615 girlsDEArizona: #711 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 5,086 girlsAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Ebony, so not publishedNMKansas: #418 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 2,826 girlsKSArkansas: #144 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 781 girlsARTennessee: #114 for girls · 48 births · 1 in 621 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #92 for girls · 85 births · 1 in 479 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #65 for girls · 62 births · 1 in 319 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #36 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 128 girlsDCOklahoma: #319 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,916 girlsOKLouisiana: #81 for girls · 69 births · 1 in 373 girlsLAMississippi: #58 for girls · 45 births · 1 in 304 girlsMSAlabama: #139 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 756 girlsALGeorgia: #99 for girls · 76 births · 1 in 551 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Ebony, so not publishedHITexas: #264 for girls · 84 births · 1 in 1,588 girlsTXFlorida: #132 for girls · 101 births · 1 in 763 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. District of Columbia#36 · 1 in 128
  2. Mississippi#58 · 1 in 304
  3. South Carolina#65 · 1 in 319
  4. Louisiana#81 · 1 in 373
  5. North Carolina#92 · 1 in 479

Best ever in a state: #17 in District of Columbia, 1982.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
District of Columbia#36121 in 128
Mississippi#58451 in 304
South Carolina#65621 in 319
Louisiana#81691 in 373
North Carolina#92851 in 479
Georgia#99761 in 551
New Jersey#114741 in 648
Tennessee#114481 in 621
Maryland#115471 in 589
Missouri#120511 in 638
Virginia#123551 in 675
Delaware#12961 in 615
Florida#1321011 in 763
New York#1381521 in 781
Alabama#139301 in 756
Arkansas#144161 in 781
Illinois#146961 in 805
Michigan#156681 in 889
Ohio#184621 in 1,127
Connecticut#186171 in 1,125
Pennsylvania#217501 in 1,437
Nevada#25551 in 1,229
Nebraska#25961 in 1,520
Texas#264841 in 1,588
Indiana#271201 in 1,717
West Virginia#27951 in 1,759
Wisconsin#282151 in 1,953
Washington#312161 in 1,843
Oklahoma#31991 in 1,916
Kentucky#32391 in 2,365
California#3371261 in 1,936
Colorado#337101 in 2,058
Minnesota#40791 in 3,143
Kansas#41851 in 2,826
Massachusetts#50591 in 4,277
Arizona#71151 in 5,086
Alaska———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Iowa———
Maine———
Montana———
New Hampshire———
New Mexico———
North Dakota———
Oregon———
Rhode Island———
South Dakota———
Utah———
Vermont———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Ebony
Momentum · girls
Holding steady
  • 33 spots since 2024 (#5,443 → #5,410)
  • 862 spots since 2020 (#4,548 → #5,410)
  • 2,386 spots since 2015 (#3,024 → #5,410)
  • Biggest jump: 853 spots in 1971 (#1,681 → #828)
  • Biggest drop: 144 spots in 2006 (#958 → #1,102)
Rise & fade · girls
32 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1950
  • Peaked 1982 at #132 (2,279 births)
  • Births halved by 1994, 12 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 1,000 for 35 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 35 yrs · run 1971–2005
Share of babies · girls
1 in 743
  • Highest: 1 in 743 girls born in 1982 were named Ebony (0.13%)
  • Latest: 1 in 69,881 girls born in 2025 (0.00%)
Era · girls
The 1980s
  • 46.8% of all girls named Ebony (18,263) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1950s6#4,738 (1950)#4,738
1960s59#2,254 (1969)#4,546
1970s6,688#184 (1979)#532
1980s18,263#132 (1982)#158
1990s10,174#186 (1990)#306
2000s2,911#552 (2000)#945
2010s742#1,747 (2010)#2,648
2020s155#4,245 (2021)#5,101

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Ebony in 1989

girls
#176
1,577 births · 1 in 1,169 girls
boys
#2,106
33 births · 1 in 60,634 boys

Top girls' names in 1989

  1. #1Jessica47,887
  2. #2Ashley47,588
  3. #3Brittany37,792
  4. #4Amanda36,834
  5. #5Sarah27,797
  6. #6Samantha24,792
  7. #7Jennifer24,006
  8. #8Stephanie22,766
  9. #9Lauren21,065
  10. #10Elizabeth20,298
  11. #176Ebony1,577

Top boys' names in 1989

  1. #1Michael65,415
  2. #2Christopher53,186
  3. #3Matthew45,375
  4. #4Joshua44,100
  5. #5David35,225
  6. #6Daniel35,007
  7. #7Andrew34,817
  8. #8Justin32,852
  9. #9James32,720
  10. #10Robert30,072
  11. #2,106Ebony33
More about 1989

girls

1,843,552 girls got a published name in 1989; 1 in 1,169 of them was named Ebony, which outranked 98.8% of the 14,550 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.9% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Ebony
  1. #173Dominique1,641
  2. #174Bridget1,635
  3. #175Melinda1,586
  4. #176Ebony1,577
  5. #177Cindy1,566
  6. #178Justine1,565
  7. #179Carly1,553
Biggest movers since 1988
Risers
  1. ↑ 9,523Audriana#10,386 → #863
  2. ↑ 7,504Martika#8,391 → #887
  3. ↑ 6,932Audrianna#7,691 → #759
  4. ↑ 3,972Elizabet#4,496 → #524
  5. ↑ 1,772Katherin#2,489 → #717
Fallers
  1. ↓ 539Diandra#905 → #1,444
  2. ↓ 524Taja#720 → #1,244
  3. ↓ 455Jonathan#999 → #1,454
  4. ↓ 445Katarina#960 → #1,405
  5. ↓ 397Caryn#816 → #1,213

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

2,000,928 boys got a published name in 1989; 1 in 60,634 of them was named Ebony, which outranked 77.2% of the 9,232 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 20.4% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Ebony
  1. #2,068Vernell34
  2. #2,068Woody34
  3. #2,068Zeth34
  4. #2,106Ebony33
  5. #2,106Armon33
  6. #2,106Bud33
  7. #2,106Cal33
  8. #2,154Ace32
  9. #2,154Adriana32
  10. #2,154Allison32

Tied with 47 names at #2,106; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1988
Risers
  1. ↑ 6,314Kiara#7,270 → #956
  2. ↑ 5,870Alexande#6,426 → #556
  3. ↑ 1,111Kwame#1,768 → #657
  4. ↑ 766Kadeem#1,467 → #701
  5. ↑ 684Hakeem#1,270 → #586
Fallers
  1. ↓ 839Long#819 → #1,658
  2. ↓ 337Darell#981 → #1,318
  3. ↓ 294Whitney#890 → #1,184
  4. ↓ 269Trevin#840 → #1,109
  5. ↓ 252Curt#850 → #1,102

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1989 →