UK girl's name
Eboni
Derived from ebony, referring to the dark wood or color.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Eboni is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Eboni popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5891, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2006, with 30 births.
This profile covers 282 England and Wales registrations across 24 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 10% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 286 living people in the UK are called Eboni. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Eboni ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2006, when 30 girls were registered as Eboni.
- • Eboni ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #798 in 2016.
- • About 286 living people in the UK are estimated to have Eboni as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5891
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2006
30 births
Estimated living
286
2026
Meaning
What does Eboni mean?
The name Eboni is a modern invention, derived from the word "ebony," which refers to a dense black wood. The name gained popularity in the late 20th century, particularly in the United States, as a way to celebrate African-American heritage and culture.
While the word "ebony" has its roots in ancient languages, the name Eboni itself does not have a long historical tradition. It was likely coined in the latter half of the 20th century as a unique and meaningful name for African-American children.
One of the earliest documented uses of the name Eboni can be found in the 1974 film "Claudine," where it was given to a character played by actress Trazana Beverley. This helped to introduce the name to a wider audience and may have contributed to its subsequent popularity.
Eboni Nichole Franklin, born in 1983, is a former professional basketball player who played in the WNBA for teams such as the Sacramento Monarchs and the Seattle Storm. She was a standout player at the University of California, Berkeley, and her career as a professional athlete helped to bring visibility to the name.
Eboni K. Williams, born in 1983, is an American attorney and television host. She gained national recognition as a co-host on the Fox News program "The Specialists" and later joined the CBS News team as a host on multiple shows, including "CBS News Streaming Network."
Eboni J. Townsend, born in 1985, is an American actress and model known for her roles in films such as "Precious" and "Seven Pounds." She has also appeared in various television shows and music videos, showcasing her versatility as a performer.
Eboni Marshall Turman, born in 1985, is an American scholar and author. She is an Assistant Professor of African and African Diaspora Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has written extensively on race, gender, and social justice issues.
Eboni Nichols, born in 1993, is a former NCAA basketball player who played for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks. She was a key contributor to the team's success and helped them reach the NCAA Women's Final Four in 2015.
The name Eboni gained popularity in the late 20th century as a celebration of African-American identity and heritage. While it does not have a long historical tradition, it has been embraced by many notable individuals who have helped to bring recognition and visibility to the name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Eboni over time
The chart below shows babies named Eboni registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Eboni, the clearest high point is 2006. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 30 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Eboni by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Eboni was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #5780 | 6 | 2 |
| 2010s | #3318 | 64 | 8 |
| 2000s | #1425 | 181 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2246 | 31 | 4 |
Geography
Where Eboni is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Eboni. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Eboni ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #798 in 2016.
Across the UK
Eboni in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#798 in 2016
2 years of NRS records, 6 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Eboni
-
Eboni Usoro-Brown
netballer
English netball player
1988-
Related
Names similar to Eboni
- Emily 121,621
- Ella 69,101
- Ellie 63,522
- Evie 52,944
- Emma 50,755
- Eleanor 40,576
- Elizabeth 39,225
- Erin 34,816
- Eva 29,738
- Evelyn 26,911
- Elsie 23,671
- Emilia 22,167
FAQ
Eboni: questions and answers
How popular is the name Eboni in the UK right now?
In 2024, Eboni was ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Eboni most popular?
The peak year on record was 2006, with 30 babies registered as Eboni in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Eboni?
Derived from ebony, referring to the dark wood or color.
How many people are called Eboni in the UK?
A total of 282 babies have been registered as Eboni across the 24 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 6 more in Scotland.
Where is Eboni most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Eboni ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #798 in 2016. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.