The first name Essex
A boy’s name from English meaning “east saxons”.
Pronounced /ˈɛs.ɪks/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
English origin
Essex means “east saxons” in English.
Inherited from Old English Ēastseaxan (literally “East Saxons”), which stood for both Essex and the people of Essex.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Essex at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 21 boys born in the United States were named Essex, the 4,758th most popular boys’ name that year.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Essex in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Essex in Norwegian too.
Famous people named Essex
1 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Essex HemphillAmerican poet and writer (1957–1995)
More English boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Essex mean?
- Essex means “east saxons” in English.
- What is the origin of the name Essex?
- Inherited from Old English Ēastseaxan (literally “East Saxons”), which stood for both Essex and the people of Essex.
- Is Essex a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 98% of the 443 US babies named Essex since 1880 were boys.
- When was Essex most popular?
- 2025 in the United States, when 21 babies were named Essex, its highest rank at 4,758th.
- How do you pronounce Essex?
- Essex is /ˈɛs.ɪks/, 2 syllables.
- Is Essex also a surname?
- Yes. Essex is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.