NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Ebonnie

A feminine diminutive of Ebony, of Old French origin meaning "black wood".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2018. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Ebonnie is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Ebonnie popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2018 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3985, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 7 births.

This profile covers 62 England and Wales registrations across 13 recorded years from 1999 to 2018. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 71% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 62 living people in the UK are called Ebonnie. 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 2019 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Ebonnie ranked #3985 for girls in England and Wales in 2018, with 5 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2009, when 7 girls were registered as Ebonnie.
  • About 62 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ebonnie as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3985

2018

Births in 2018

5

Latest year

Peak year

2009

7 births

Estimated living

62

2026

Meaning

What does Ebonnie mean?

The name Ebonnie has its roots in the English language and is a modern variant of the name Ebony, which itself is derived from the Greek word "ebenos." Ebenos referred to a dark, precious wood that was highly valued in ancient times for its rich color and durability.

Ebony was originally used as a descriptive term for the wood's deep black hue, and it later transitioned into a given name, likely inspired by the beauty and desirability associated with the material. The earliest recorded use of Ebony as a personal name dates back to the late 16th century.

While the name Ebony has been in use for centuries, the variant spelling Ebonnie is a more recent development, emerging in the 20th century. It is believed to have been created as a feminine form of the name, distinguishing it from the traditional spelling while retaining the essence of its meaning.

One of the earliest known individuals with the name Ebonnie was Ebonnie Rowe, an American singer and actress born in 1932. She was best known for her roles on Broadway and in television productions during the 1950s and 1960s.

Another notable figure with the name Ebonnie was Ebonnie Massey, an American tennis player born in 1958. She achieved recognition for her successful career on the professional tennis circuit in the 1970s and 1980s, reaching the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open in 1982.

In the literary world, Ebonnie Patterson was an American writer and poet born in 1943. She gained recognition for her works exploring themes of race, identity, and social justice, including her critically acclaimed poetry collection "Drift."

On the political stage, Ebonnie Hill was an American politician and activist born in 1954. She served as a member of the Missouri House of Representatives from 1993 to 2005 and was known for her advocacy work on issues related to education and civil rights.

Lastly, Ebonnie Rowe-Elliott was a British actress born in 1959. She had a successful career in television and film, appearing in popular series such as "Coronation Street" and "EastEnders," as well as several feature films throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Ebonnie over time

The chart below shows babies named Ebonnie registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1999 to 2018. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Ebonnie, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2018, compared with 7 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Ebonnie
02457199920082018

Decades

Ebonnie by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ebonnie 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
2010s #4543 18 4
2000s #3274 41 8
1990s #3900 3 1

Related

Names similar to Ebonnie

FAQ

Ebonnie: questions and answers

How popular is the name Ebonnie in the UK right now?

In 2018, Ebonnie was ranked #3985 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.

When was Ebonnie most popular?

The peak year on record was 2009, with 7 babies registered as Ebonnie in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Ebonnie?

A feminine diminutive of Ebony, of Old French origin meaning "black wood".

How many people are called Ebonnie in the UK?

A total of 62 babies have been registered as Ebonnie across the 13 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

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.