Early is an uncommon given name with a unique origin and meaning. It is derived from the English word "early," which means coming or arriving at an early time. The name Early is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages, where it was used as a nickname for someone who rose early in the morning or arrived somewhere ahead of schedule.
Despite its unusual nature, Early has been used as a given name throughout history. One notable bearer of the name was Early Wright, an American businessman and philanthropist who lived in the late 19th to early 20th century. Wright was known for his successful career in the lumber industry and his generous contributions to various charitable causes.
Today, Early is still used as a given name, albeit rarely. It remains a distinctive choice for parents seeking an uncommon but meaningful name for their child.
Based on the provided statistics, the name Early has seen a significant decrease in popularity over time in the United States.
From the year 1880 to around the mid-1940s, there were consistently more than 20 births each year with the name Early. The peak was reached in 1915 with 71 births that year. However, from the late 1940s onwards, the number of births with the name Early started to decline.
By the mid-1960s, there were less than 30 births per year with the name Early, and this trend continued into the late 1970s where there were around 12 births per year on average. In the following decades, from the early 1980s to the mid-1990s, the number of births with the name Early fluctuated between 5 and 16 each year.
After the year 2000, there has been a further decrease in popularity for the name Early. There were only 5 births per year on average from 2000 to 2004, then it increased slightly to around 8 births per year until 2009. However, since 2015, the number of births with the name Early has been consistently low, ranging from 5 to 13 each year.
Overall, based on these statistics, we can conclude that while the name Early was relatively popular in the late 19th and early-to-mid 20th centuries in the United States, it has significantly declined in popularity since then.