Given name & surname
Efrain
“one who is tertile; productive”·“fruitful”·“one who is fertile; productive”
Efrain is a form of Ephraim. Interpretations include “fruitful” and “one who is fertile; productive” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Original SpanishEfraín
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Spanish use, Efrain carries the interpretation “one who is tertile; productive.” Efrain is a form of Ephraim. Interpretations include “fruitful” and “one who is fertile; productive” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Spanish.
How it developed
Efrain is used as a form of Ephraim.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1920. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Efrain is a form of Ephraim. The history of Ephraim gives this family its wider story. Ephraim appears in biblical tradition, giving it a longstanding religious and cultural context.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Efrain through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 18,586
- 18,557 boys · 29 girls
- Most popular year
- 1993
- 405 babies
- 2025
- 118
- #1,494 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −17%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 118 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,494 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 17.3% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 405 in 1993. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (36). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 32,016 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Efrain’s family of names
In English usage, Efrain shares an earlier linguistic root with Ephraim. Efrain has a related form in Efren. Efrain is a form of Ephraim.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 12
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Efrenvariant
- Efrinvariant
- Efranvariant
- Effrainlikely variant
- Efrynvariant
- Efrunvariant
- Efranevariant
- Efraenevariant
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Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Efrain
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Efrain, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Isang
“my God is bountiful”
88% boys · 12% girls
Josemari
“to add”
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Eran
“one who has been awakened”
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Ruben
“behold, a son!”
>99% boys
Adan
“man” · “of the earth”
99% boys · 1% girls
Abran
“father of a multitude (of nations)” · “father of a multitude; father of nations”
>99% boys
Darius
“a kingly man; one who is wealthy”
>99% boys
Ethan
“firmness” · “long-lived”
>99% boys