Holding steady, #8,910 for boys today.
Popularity of Ennis since 1880
Babies named Ennis per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1922, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Ennis's real moment was 1910.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 0 | 62 |
| 1890s | 11 | 76 |
| 1900s | 29 | 111 |
| 1910s | 101 | 391 |
| 1920s | 72 | 481 |
| 1930s | 54 | 396 |
| 1940s | 25 | 368 |
| 1950s | 23 | 335 |
| 1960s | 5 | 239 |
| 1970s | 0 | 236 |
| 1980s | 0 | 122 |
| 1990s | 0 | 129 |
| 2000s | 0 | 103 |
| 2010s | 0 | 85 |
| 2020s | 0 | 70 |
Meaning & origin
Ennis is an Irish name with geographic roots, evoking the image of an island or land by water. Derived from the place name in County Clare, Ireland, it originally served as a surname before transitioning to a given name. Ennis first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1880, and its peak usage came in 1910, when it ranked highest in popularity. In the most recent data (2025), it ranks 8910th, with a rarity of about 1 in 213,510 newborns, suggesting consistent but infrequent use. The name has maintained a stable trajectory over recent decades, never experiencing a sharp revival or decline. While it does not show strong associations with any particular U.S. state, its Irish heritage gives it a classic, understated appeal for families seeking a name with Celtic roots. Ennis remains an uncommon choice, offering a distinctive alternative to more popular Irish names like Liam or Finn.
Ennis is an anglicized form of the Irish name "Inis," meaning "island." It originated as a surname for families from the town of Ennis in County Clare, Ireland. As a given name, it gained some use in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly in the United States and Ireland.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: En, Nissy
Sibling names for Ennis
Names that share Ennis's style, for a brother or sister.
