Early, of Anglo-Saxon origin, means 'morning' or 'dawn'. It was initially used as a nickname for someone who rose early or worked hard from dawn till dusk. The name can also be found as an English surname, derived from the Middle English word 'erly', which evolved to 'early' by the 16th century. The name Early has been popular among various cultures over time and is considered unisex, though it's more commonly used for males in some regions.
The name Early seems to have been quite popular among parents at certain periods throughout the late 19th and mid-20th centuries, with notable spikes in popularity between 1891 and 1959. The highest number of births recorded was 15 in 1926, while some years saw only a handful or even just one birth. After a steady decline from the early 1930s onwards, there was another spike in popularity in 2013 with six births recorded that year. Overall, there were a total of 373 births named Early over this period.