The first name Ferdinand
A boy’s name meaning “journey”, “daring”, “to be daring”.
Pronounced /ˈfɝdn̩.ænd/ 3 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Ferdinand means “journey”, “daring”, “to be daring”.
From Spanish Ferdinando, from Proto-Germanic *fardiz (“journey”) + *nanþaz (“daring”) (from the root of *ninþaną (“to be daring”)). * (Uranus): The moon is named after a character in Shakespeare's The Tempest. * (Philippines): Named after Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos
More names that mean brave.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 10 boys were named Ferdinand, making it the 2,269th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2008, with 24 births (#1,048).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Ferdinand with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Ferdinand at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 24 boys born in the United States were named Ferdinand, the 4,294th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1918, when 259 were.
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.
Ferdinand in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Ferdinand in Czech, Danish, German, Norwegian and Swedish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Nicknames for Ferdinand
- Ferdie
Famous people named Ferdinand
280 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Louis-Ferdinand CélineFrench writer (1894–1961)
- Ferdinand FochFrench marchal and military theorist (1851–1929)
- Ferdinand I of AustriaAustrian emperor, king of Hungary and Bohemia (1793-1875)
- Ferdinand LassalleGerman jurist and socialist (1825–1864)
- Ferdinand III, Holy Roman EmperorEmperor of the Holy Roman Empire (1608-1657)
- Ferdinand PorscheAustrian-born German automotive engineer, inventor (1875–1951)
- Ferdinand I of BulgariaBulgarian ruler (1861–1948)
- Ferdinand de LessepsFrench diplomat and entrepreneur, developer of the Suez Canal (1805–1894)
- August Ferdinand MöbiusGerman mathematician and astronomer (1790–1868)
- Carl Ferdinand CoriCzech Nobel prize laureate and scientist (1896–1984)
- Ferdinand von WrangelBaltic German explorer and Russian admiral (1797-1870)
- Ferdinand BuissonFrench academic and politician (1841-1932)
Questions
- What does the name Ferdinand mean?
- Ferdinand means “journey”, “daring”, “to be daring”.
- How popular is the name Ferdinand?
- In 2025, 10 boys born in England and Wales were named Ferdinand, ranking 2,269th. Its peak was 2008, with 24 births.
- What are nicknames for Ferdinand?
- Common nicknames for Ferdinand include Ferdie.
- Is Ferdinand a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 8,909 US babies named Ferdinand since 1880 were boys.
- When was Ferdinand most popular?
- 1918 in the United States, when 259 babies were named Ferdinand, its highest rank at 363rd.
- How do you pronounce Ferdinand?
- Ferdinand is /ˈfɝdn̩.ænd/, 3 syllables.
- Is Ferdinand also a surname?
- Yes. Ferdinand is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.