Fun Facts About the Name Ramsey
- More than 8 thousand babies named Ramsey: U.S. records list 8,861 babies given the name Ramsey from 1880 through 2025. Of these, 2,259 girls received the name Ramsey - about 1 girl for every 3 boys.
What Does the Name Ramsey Mean?
Ramsey is an English name meaning 'wild garlic island.' It comes from the Old English elements hramsa, meaning 'wild garlic' or 'ramson,' and ēg, meaning 'island.' The name began as a place name. Ramsey in Cambridgeshire, recorded in Old English as Hramesege, is the usual source for the surname, and Ramsey in Essex shares the same Old English derivation. The Isle of Man town of Ramsey has a separate origin, probably Old Norse, and its meaning is uncertain; explanations such as 'ram's island' or 'raven island' are competing suggestions rather than settled fact. As a personal name, Ramsey is a transferred use of the surname, so it carries the place-name meaning rather than a separate personal-name meaning.
Ramsey Name History & Origins
The surname Ramsey is habitational: it was originally given to people who came from a place called Ramsey. In medieval England, a man from Ramsey might be recorded as de Ramsey, and over time the preposition was dropped. The Cambridgeshire Ramsey was home to Ramsey Abbey, a Benedictine monastery founded in the tenth century, which made the place prominent in medieval England. The surname is found in English records from the Middle Ages and later spread to Scotland and Ireland. The spelling Ramsay is a common Scottish variant; it is associated with Clan Ramsay and has its own history, though it is often treated alongside Ramsey.
Ramsey became a first name through the English practice of using surnames as given names. It has been used mainly for boys, with occasional use for girls. Notable bearers include Ramsey Clark, the American lawyer who served as U.S. attorney general, and Ramsey Lewis, the American jazz pianist. The Scottish spelling Ramsay is familiar from Ramsay MacDonald, Britain's first Labour prime minister. These examples place the name in modern public life, but they did not create its meaning or origin.
How Popular is the Name Ramsey?
Ramsey recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2017. Its best rank was #849 in 1980.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,377 | 76 | 0.0047% |
| 2024 | #2,544 | 70 | 0.0043% |
| 2023 | #2,100 | 92 | 0.0057% |
| 2022 | #2,627 | 67 | 0.0041% |
| 2021 | #1,726 | 120 | 0.0073% |
| 2020 | #2,000 | 94 | 0.0058% |
| 2019 | #1,859 | 109 | 0.0065% |
| 2018 | #1,795 | 114 | 0.0067% |
| 2017 | #1,851 | 111 | 0.0064% |
| 2016 | #1,809 | 115 | 0.0065% |
| 2015 | #2,274 | 83 | 0.0047% |
| 2014 | #2,882 | 60 | 0.0034% |
| 2013 | #3,304 | 49 | 0.0028% |
| 2012 | #3,082 | 55 | 0.0031% |
| 2011 | #3,214 | 52 | 0.0030% |
| 2010 | #3,401 | 48 | 0.0027% |
| 2009 | #3,854 | 41 | 0.0022% |
| 2008 | #3,635 | 45 | 0.0024% |
| 2007 | #3,708 | 44 | 0.0023% |
| 2006 | #3,493 | 46 | 0.0024% |
| 2005 | #2,375 | 75 | 0.0041% |
| 2004 | #2,990 | 53 | 0.0029% |
| 2003 | #3,643 | 39 | 0.0021% |
| 2002 | #3,580 | 38 | 0.0021% |
| 2001 | #3,186 | 44 | 0.0024% |
| 2000 | #4,265 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 1999 | #4,056 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 1998 | #3,058 | 42 | 0.0024% |
| 1997 | #2,651 | 48 | 0.0028% |
| 1996 | #4,025 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 1995 | #5,172 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1994 | #3,870 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1993 | #3,753 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 1992 | #5,659 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1991 | #5,596 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1990 | #4,820 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1989 | #6,069 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1988 | #5,817 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1987 | #6,659 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1986 | #3,525 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 1985 | #4,239 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1984 | #4,125 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1983 | #7,844 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1982 | #5,453 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1981 | #5,171 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1980 | #7,936 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1979 | #7,834 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1978 | #6,271 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1977 | #4,857 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1976 | #8,920 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1974 | #6,699 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1972 | #7,979 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1971 | #8,061 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1970 | #7,752 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1965 | #7,273 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,970 | 78 | 0.0046% |
| 2024 | #1,757 | 94 | 0.0055% |
| 2023 | #1,721 | 97 | 0.0057% |
| 2022 | #1,501 | 121 | 0.0069% |
| 2021 | #1,376 | 134 | 0.0077% |
| 2020 | #1,410 | 123 | 0.0071% |
| 2019 | #1,319 | 139 | 0.0078% |
| 2018 | #1,383 | 128 | 0.0071% |
| 2017 | #1,211 | 152 | 0.0082% |
| 2016 | #1,244 | 150 | 0.0079% |
| 2015 | #1,345 | 131 | 0.0068% |
| 2014 | #1,651 | 94 | 0.0049% |
| 2013 | #1,409 | 119 | 0.0063% |
| 2012 | #1,572 | 101 | 0.0053% |
| 2011 | #1,521 | 105 | 0.0055% |
| 2010 | #1,622 | 97 | 0.0051% |
| 2009 | #1,625 | 98 | 0.0049% |
| 2008 | #1,461 | 113 | 0.0055% |
| 2007 | #1,504 | 106 | 0.0051% |
| 2006 | #1,400 | 114 | 0.0055% |
| 2005 | #1,270 | 123 | 0.0062% |
| 2004 | #1,403 | 102 | 0.0051% |
| 2003 | #1,246 | 117 | 0.0059% |
| 2002 | #1,252 | 109 | 0.0056% |
| 2001 | #1,422 | 88 | 0.0045% |
| 2000 | #1,227 | 110 | 0.0056% |
| 1999 | #1,381 | 86 | 0.0045% |
| 1998 | #1,095 | 118 | 0.0062% |
| 1997 | #977 | 134 | 0.0071% |
| 1996 | #1,274 | 87 | 0.0046% |
| 1995 | #993 | 126 | 0.0066% |
| 1994 | #1,058 | 112 | 0.0058% |
| 1993 | #1,202 | 88 | 0.0045% |
| 1992 | #1,109 | 99 | 0.0050% |
| 1991 | #935 | 129 | 0.0064% |
| 1990 | #1,081 | 98 | 0.0048% |
| 1989 | #1,089 | 94 | 0.0047% |
| 1988 | #1,140 | 78 | 0.0041% |
| 1987 | #888 | 112 | 0.0060% |
| 1986 | #964 | 91 | 0.0049% |
| 1985 | #933 | 96 | 0.0052% |
| 1984 | #865 | 104 | 0.0058% |
| 1983 | #928 | 91 | 0.0051% |
| 1982 | #916 | 96 | 0.0053% |
| 1981 | #856 | 107 | 0.0060% |
| 1980 | #849 | 109 | 0.0061% |
| 1979 | #874 | 100 | 0.0058% |
| 1978 | #1,048 | 70 | 0.0043% |
| 1977 | #936 | 83 | 0.0051% |
| 1976 | #1,082 | 61 | 0.0039% |
| 1975 | #1,135 | 56 | 0.0036% |
| 1974 | #992 | 69 | 0.0044% |
| 1973 | #1,072 | 58 | 0.0037% |
| 1972 | #1,224 | 46 | 0.0028% |
| 1971 | #1,270 | 44 | 0.0025% |
| 1970 | #1,153 | 52 | 0.0028% |
| 1969 | #1,247 | 41 | 0.0023% |
| 1968 | #1,033 | 52 | 0.0030% |
| 1967 | #1,271 | 36 | 0.0021% |
| 1966 | #1,189 | 40 | 0.0022% |
| 1965 | #1,507 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 1964 | #1,325 | 36 | 0.0018% |
| 1963 | #1,538 | 27 | 0.0013% |
| 1962 | #2,340 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1961 | #1,861 | 20 | 0.0009% |
| 1960 | #1,570 | 27 | 0.0013% |
| 1959 | #1,791 | 21 | 0.0010% |
| 1958 | #1,582 | 25 | 0.0012% |
| 1957 | #1,826 | 20 | 0.0009% |
| 1956 | #1,672 | 23 | 0.0011% |
| 1955 | #1,958 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1954 | #2,029 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1953 | #1,579 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 1952 | #1,652 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 1951 | #1,636 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1950 | #2,008 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1949 | #1,924 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1948 | #2,194 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1947 | #1,898 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1946 | #1,799 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1945 | #2,939 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1944 | #2,813 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1943 | #2,161 | 13 | 0.0009% |
| 1942 | #2,236 | 12 | 0.0009% |
| 1941 | #2,612 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1940 | #1,878 | 15 | 0.0013% |
| 1939 | #1,777 | 16 | 0.0014% |
| 1938 | #2,292 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1937 | #2,629 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1936 | #2,415 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1935 | #2,501 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1934 | #3,591 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1933 | #1,981 | 14 | 0.0014% |
| 1932 | #2,290 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1931 | #3,671 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1930 | #3,522 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1929 | #2,721 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1928 | #3,021 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1927 | #2,494 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1926 | #2,532 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1925 | #2,297 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1924 | #2,202 | 15 | 0.0013% |
| 1923 | #2,102 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1922 | #2,455 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1921 | #2,761 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1920 | #2,921 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1919 | #3,675 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1918 | #2,506 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1917 | #2,169 | 14 | 0.0015% |
| 1916 | #2,237 | 13 | 0.0015% |
| 1915 | #2,423 | 11 | 0.0013% |
| 1914 | #2,596 | 8 | 0.0012% |
| 1913 | #2,452 | 7 | 0.0014% |
| 1912 | #2,222 | 7 | 0.0016% |
| 1910 | #1,791 | 5 | 0.0026% |
| 1894 | #933 | 7 | 0.0060% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Ramsey Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are a law unto itself. Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You are tolerant and like to help humanity. You are very active. You are generally warmhearted and gives freely of your time, energy, and sympathetic understanding. You have tolerance and acceptance of the frailties of others. Universal and humanitarian in outlook. This is very compassionate name. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Ramsey's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Ramsey's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.