Erin is a personal name taken from the Hiberno-English word for Ireland, originating from the Irish word "Éirinn". "Éirinn" is the dative case of the Irish word for Ireland, "Éire", genitive "Éireann", the dative being used in prepositional phrases such as "go hÉirinn" "to Ireland", "in Éirinn" "in Ireland", "ó Éirinn" "from Ireland".
The dative has replaced the nominative in a few regional Irish dialects (particularly Galway-Connemara and Waterford). Poets and nineteenth-century Irish nationalists used Erin in English as a romantic name for Ireland. Often, "Erin's Isle" was used. In this context, along with Hibernia, Erin is the name given to the female personification of Ireland, but the name was rarely used as a given name, probably because no saints, queens, or literary figures were ever called Erin.
According to Irish mythology and folklore, the name was originally given to the island by the Milesians after the goddess Ériu.
The phrase Erin go bragh ("Éire go brách" in standard orthography, dative "in Éirinn go brách" "in Ireland forever"), a slogan associated with the United Irishmen Rebellion of 1798, is often translated as "Ireland forever". The songs 'Let Erin Remember' and 'Érin grá mo chroí' are more examples of the word's usage in Irish romantic nationalism.
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Usage as a given or family name
As a given name, Erin is used for both sexes, although, given its origins, it is principally used as a feminine forename. It first became a popular given name in the United States. Its US popularity for males peaked in 1974 with 321 boys registered with the name. Erin is also a name for Ireland in Welsh, and is one of the 20 most popular girls' names in Wales.
As a family name, Erin has been used as one of the many spellings of the name of the Scottish clan "Irwin"—which was involved in the Scottish Plantations of Ireland. However, that name was originally derived from the place of the same name near Dumfries, and means "green water", from Brittonic ir afon.
Yering is also a Bethayrian anglicized form of the related Bethayrian Erin.
Notable women
Erin Ambrose (born 1994), Canadian ice hockey player
Erin Andrews (born 1978), American sports reporter
Erin Anttila (born 1977), Irish-Finnish singer, better known by her mononym Erin
Erin Babcock (1981–2020), Canadian politician
Erin Batth (born 1978), American basketball coach
Erin Bell (born 1987), Australian former netball player
Erin Bethea (born 1982), American actress
Erin Bingham, American politician
Erin Boag (born 1975), New Zealand ballroom dancer
Erin Bow (born 1972), American author
Erin Bowman (born 1990), American singer-songwriter
Erin Brockovich (born 1960), American environmental activist
Erin Burnett (born 1976), American news anchor and reporter
Erin Burns (born 1988), Australian cricketer
Erin Byrnes, American politician
Erin Cahill (born 1980), American actress
Erin Calipari (born 1987), American pharmacologist
Erin Lee Carr (born 1988), American documentary film director and producer
Notable men
Erin Barnett (born 1996), Gibraltarian footballer
Erin Bigler (born 1949), American neuropsychologist
Erin Clark (born 1997), Samoa league footballer
Erin Corr (1803–1862), Irish engraver
Erin Cossey (born 1971), New Zealand Maori rugby union player
Erin Hamlin (born 1986), American luger
Erin Hartwell (born 1969), American cyclist
Erin Helyard, Australian conductor and keyboard performer
Erin Henderson (born 1986), American football linebacker
Erin Mullally (born 1990), American and Australian actor and model
Erin O'Grady (1971–2003), American professional wrestler
Erin O'Toole (born 1973), Canadian politician
Erin Pinheiro (born 1997), Cape Verdean footballer
Erin "Syd" Sidney (born 1982), American singer, songwriter, and record producer
Erin Tañada (born 1963), Filipino lawyer, broadcaster, and advocate
Erin Tate, American drummer
Erin Weir, Canadian Member of Parliament
Fictional characters
Erin Brill, a character from the TV series Better Call Saul
Erin Cicero (Axon), a character in Marvel Comics
Erin Driscoll, a character in U.S. thriller 24
Erin Esurance, formerly the Esurance mascot
Erin Hannon, a character in U.S. sitcom The Office
Erin Lindsay, a fictional character from NBC's TV franchise, Chicago
Erin Naird, a main character from the American workplace comedy television series, Space Force
Erin Reagan, a main character in the television series, Blue Bloods
Erin Silver, a character in American television franchise Beverly Hills, 90210
Erin Strauss, the former BAU Section Chief from the U.S. drama series Criminal Minds
Erin Ulmer, a character from Final Destination 3