Given name & surname
Ramsey
Ramsey is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “from the raven island; from the island of wild garlic.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “from the raven island; from the island of wild garlic.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1894. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Ramsey through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 8,861
- 6,602 boys · 2,259 girls
- Most popular year
- 2016
- 265 babies
- 2025
- 154
- #1,970 for boys · #2,377 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −23%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 56% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 78 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,970 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 24.3% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 152 in 2017. It also appeared in 76 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (15). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 6,794 as a first name in 2020; 74,666 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Ramsey’s family of names
Ramsey has a related form in Ramzi. Ramsey has a related form in Ramzy. Ramsey has a related form in Ramsay.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 15
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Ramsey
- Ramsey LewisAmerican jazz composer (1935–2022)
- Ramsey NouahNigerian actorborn 1970
- Ramsey AngelaDutch athleteborn 1999
- Johnny SomaliSomali-American live-streamer (born 2000)
- Ramsey NasrDutch actorborn 1974
- Ramsey NijemAmerican martial artistborn 1988
- Ramsey Ann NaitoAmerican film producerborn 1964
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Ramsey, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Raleigh
“from the clearing of roe deer”
36% boys · 64% girls
Rebel
“an outlaw”
35% boys · 65% girls
Landry
“of the rough terrain”
43% boys · 57% girls
Roe
“one who hunts deer”
46% boys · 54% girls
Larkin
“a pretty young woman” · “one who is fierce”
40% boys · 60% girls
Channing
“an offficial of the church” · “resembling a young wolf”
65% boys · 35% girls
Remington
“from the town of the raven's family”
65% boys · 35% girls
Aris
“the best” · “one who is superior”
59% boys · 41% girls