Declining since 2006, #5,861 for boys today.
Popularity of Eber since 1880
Babies named Eber per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2007, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Eber's real moment was 1889.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 52 |
| 1890s | 21 |
| 1900s | 6 |
| 1910s | 90 |
| 1920s | 134 |
| 1930s | 61 |
| 1940s | 49 |
| 1950s | 28 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 13 |
| 1980s | 61 |
| 1990s | 193 |
| 2000s | 302 |
| 2010s | 207 |
| 2020s | 111 |
Meaning & origin
Eber is a rare name with a history that reaches back to the 1880s, when it first appeared in U.S. records. Its peak year was 1889, but by 2025 it ranked only 5,861, with approximately 1 in 113,872 babies receiving the name. Eber has been in decline since 2006, reflecting a trajectory away from vintage Germanic short forms. While its exact origins are debated, Eber may be a variant of Heber or a clipped form of Eberhard, meaning 'brave boar.' In the 1880s, it was used sparingly, and today it remains an uncommon choice without strong ties to any particular U.S. state. Overall, Eber offers a distinctive, old-world sound for parents seeking a name with historical roots and a sense of rarity.
Eber may derive from the Germanic element 'ebur' meaning 'boar', and is often considered a short form of Eberhard. Alternatively, it could be a variant of Heber, which has Hebrew origins. The name saw modest use in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly in the United States, but has since declined in popularity.
Nicknames & variants
Sibling names for Eber
Names that share Eber's style, for a brother or sister.
