Erin comes from Éirinn, the dative form of Éire, and is simply the poetic name of "Ireland" itself; it is a name Irish Americans adopted far more eagerly than the Irish at home. It was a staple of the 1970s to 1990s, when it stood among the top 30 girls' names in the United States. Erin was still number 61 in 2000, but has slid steadily since and ranks number 833 in 2025.