Boy name · Hebrew
Ephraim
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: fruitfulEphraim is a boy's name that comes from Hebrew and means "fruitful". It is used in English and Hebrew.
- Meaning
- Fruitful
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- EE-free-um
Meaning and origin of Ephraim
As a boy's name, Ephraim comes from Hebrew and means "fruitful". It is used in English and Hebrew.
Say it EE-free-um. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Ephraim on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Ephraim on 3 lists.
“Fruitful; Hebrew. Younger son of Joseph”
From Biblical names, names from Genesis
“Door County village founded in 1853 as a Moravian community”
From Weird Wisconsin town names, wisconsin towns borrowed from around the world
“Fruitful; Hebrew, a son of Joseph. Say EE-free-um”
From Unique boy names, uncommon biblical boy names
How popular is Ephraim?
- US rank in 2025
- #988
- 231 babies, 135 per million boys
- Best rank
- #407 in 1880
- Most babies: 260 in 2017
- Babies since 1880
- At least 8,236
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 116 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 67 per million |
| 1900s | 39 per million |
| 1910s | 41 per million |
| 1920s | 32 per million |
| 1930s | 18 per million |
| 1940s | 12 per million |
| 1950s | 11 per million |
| 1960s | 13 per million |
| 1970s | 27 per million |
| 1980s | 33 per million |
| 1990s | 33 per million |
| 2000s | 66 per million |
| 2010s | 116 per million |
| 2020s | 128 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #871 | #848 | #939 | #970 | #1,005 | #974 | #1,080 | #979 | #976 | #988 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Ephraim
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- EfraínFruitful (Hebrew, boy)
- EfrénFruitful (Hebrew, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- DáireFruitful, fertile (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- EfratFruitful place (Hebrew, girl)
- EphrathFruitful place (Hebrew, girl)
- EustaceFruitful (Greek, boy)
- FructuosoFruitful (Latin, boy)
Middle names for Ephraim
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Hebrew
- AdamMan, humankind (Hebrew, boy)
- DanielGod is my judge (Hebrew, boy)
- NoahRest, repose (Hebrew, boy)
- EliasMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, boy)
- GabrielGod is my strength (Hebrew, boy)
- AxelMy father is peace (Hebrew, boy)
- BenjaminSon of the right hand (Hebrew, boy)
- IsaacHe will laugh (Hebrew, boy)
- JanGod is gracious (Hebrew, boy)
- JonathanYahweh has given (Hebrew, boy)
Ephraim: common questions
What does the name Ephraim mean?
Ephraim comes from Hebrew and means "fruitful".
Is Ephraim a boy or girl name?
Ephraim is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Ephraim come from?
Ephraim comes from Hebrew and means "fruitful". Today it is used in English and Hebrew.
How do you pronounce Ephraim?
Say EE-free-um. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Ephraim?
Ephraim ranked #988 in the US in 2025, with 231 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Ephraim?
Forms of Ephraim with the same meaning and origin include Efraín (Spanish) and Efrén (Spanish).
What middle names go with Ephraim?
Middle names that flow well with Ephraim include Abel, Ansel, Asher, David and Finn. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.