Fernando
Fernando was the 387th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 819 babies. Its best year was 1997, when it ranked 149th; the most babies were born in 2006 (2,758). Over the last ten years it has moved down 115 places. More babies were named Fernando in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning peace or journey + daring · Germanic, Spanish
Say it fer-NAN-doh /fərˈnændoʊ/
- Rank in 2025
- #387 boys, down 45 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 819boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20062,758 babies
- Total since 1880
- 103,729babies recorded
What does the name Fernando mean?
Fernando is the Spanish and Portuguese form of Ferdinand, a Germanic name long established in Spain. DMNES derives it from Old High German fridu, "peace", and a Germanic root *nanþ-, "brave, daring"; Wiktionary also allows *fardiz, "journey", for the first part. Many kings of Castile, León and Aragon bore it, among them Ferdinand of Aragon, husband of Isabella.
fridu (Old High German, “peace”)*fardiz (Proto-Germanic, “journey”)*nanþ- (Proto-Germanic, “brave, daring”)
How sure is this? Probable. The second element ('daring') is agreed; the first is 'peace' or 'journey'.
Related names: Ferdinand, Nando, Hernando, Fernanda.
See also: Germanic names, names that mean brave.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Fernando', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources (ed. S. L. Uckelman), Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Ferdinand', DMNES, Durham University
Nicknames for Fernando
The usual nicknames for Fernando are Nando and Fer.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nando | Traditional | — | — |
| Fer · also for Fernanda | Modern | — | — |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Fernandos go by each one.
Fernando popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 590 since 1932.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #387 | 819 |
| 2020 | #342 | 938 |
| 2010 | #189 | 1,953 |
| 2000 | #150 | 2,602 |
| 1990 | #179 | 1,731 |
| 1980 | #196 | 1,266 |
| 1970 | #276 | 764 |
| 1960 | #323 | 584 |
| 1950 | #364 | 344 |
| 1940 | #453 | 164 |
| 1930 | #449 | 173 |
| 1920 | #647 | 96 |
| 1910 | #605 | 23 |
| 1900 | #758 | 12 |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | #703 | 8 |
How popular is Fernando, counting every spelling?
Fernando has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #399 for boys in 2025, against #387 on the official list, because Kason/Kasen/Casen and Mohamed/Mohammad/Mohammed and Rhys/Reece/Rhyse move ahead once their spellings are combined.
How many kids will share the name Fernando?
819 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Fernando (0.23 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Fernando born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 10 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Fernando.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Fernando?
About 92,800 people born in the US named Fernando are alive today, with a median age of 28; half are between 18 and 42. That makes Fernando mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Fernando by state
How common Fernando was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New Mexico (2.7×), Texas (2.5×), Arizona (2.5×), California (2.3×), Nevada (2.0×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Missouri, Pennsylvania, Idaho.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Fernando: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Fernando, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Fernando · Sibling names for Fernando
Questions about the name Fernando
What does Fernando mean?
Fernando means “peace or journey + daring” (Germanic, Spanish origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Fernando?
Fernando was the 387th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 819 babies. Its best year was 1997, when it ranked 149th; the most babies were born in 2006 (2,758). Over the last ten years it has moved down 115 places. More babies were named Fernando in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Fernando a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Fernando in the US.
Where is Fernando most popular?
In 2021–2025, Fernando was most common in New Mexico (1.43 per 1,000 boys), followed by Texas and Arizona.