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Ermine
How to Pronounce Ermine
Pronounced UR-min /ˈɜrmɪn/Medium
Meaning: Ermine is a short form of names like Erminia and Ermintrude, whose first part is the Germanic ermen, 'whole' or 'universal.' The same word names the ermine fur, long a symbol of royal rank, which likely reinforced the name's appeal.Low
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Ermine most likely began as a short form of Erminia or Ermintrude, built on the Germanic ermen, 'whole' or 'universal.' It appears in United States records from the early eighteen-eighties and peaks around 1917. Parents may also have heard the luxurious fur of the same name, an old emblem of nobility, which lent the plain spelling a quiet grandeur. It was never common, given to only a couple dozen girls a year at its height.
Fading from records by the late nineteen-fifties, Ermine reads as a great-grandmother-era name and has not been revived, partly because the fur association now feels dated. Parents drawn to its soft two-beat sound and 'whole' meaning might look to Wilhelmina or the fuller Erminia.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Ermine mean?
It is a short form of Erminia or Ermintrude, from the Germanic ermen, meaning 'whole' or 'universal.'
How do you pronounce Ermine?
It's said UR-min /ˈɜrmɪn/, 2 syllables.
Is Ermine a boy or girl name?
Ermine is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Ermine?
It was always rare, given to just a couple dozen girls a year around the nineteen-tens and twenties.