Baby Name Popularity Profile

Pearl

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Pearl.

✦ Gemstone pearl 🌍 English, Latin nature traditional
National Rank (2025) #777
All-Time Peak Rank #24 Achieved 1889
Total U.S. Births 159,088 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 0.0% Boy / 100.0% Girl Female Archetype
First Recorded 1880 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1910s 4,521 births in 1918
💡 The Pearl Vibe: Considered a Declining Classic. A previously dominant name currently experiencing a prolonged generational cooling period.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Gemstone pearl
Language Origin English, Latin
Origin Type multiple
Derived from the English word 'pearl' for the gemstone, ultimately from Latin 'perna' meaning 'leg' (referring to a ham-shaped mollusc).
Common Nicknames
Peri Pearlie
Alternative Spellings
Perle
Pronunciation: PERL
Themes & Categories
nature traditional
Etymology confidence: High

📖 The Story Behind Pearl

According to SSA data, Pearl achieved its highest historical rank of #24 in 1889. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1918 with 4,521 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 24.1%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 146 consecutive years.

📊 Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Pearl across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Stable
10-Year Shift -24.1% Decline
18801920196020002025

📈 Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 4,521 births in 1918
Years in Top 100 47 yrs
Years in Top 500 79 yrs
Registry Streak 146 yrs
Historical Volatility Highly Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 10,903
1890s: 19,054
1900s: 20,913
1910s: 33,834
1920s: 32,774
1930s: 13,295
1940s: 7,778
1950s: 4,757
1960s: 2,594
1970s: 1,471
1980s: 1,639
1990s: 1,508
2000s: 2,238
2010s: 4,160
2020s: 2,170

📐 Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Pearl
Letter Count 5 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 7.7% of names
Linguistic Profile: It is an isogram, meaning no two letters are repeated. Longer than 7.7% of SSA names. Starts with P, a letter used by only 1.6% of SSA names.

🛠️ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Pearl.

📍 Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State North Dakota
Top States North Dakota, West Virginia, South Carolina, Hawaii, South Dakota
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
North Dakota Unranked 862 1921 Insufficient historical volume
West Virginia Unranked 2,179 1918 Insufficient historical volume
South Carolina Unranked 3,091 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Hawaii Unranked 629 1942 Insufficient historical volume
South Dakota Unranked 669 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Arkansas #641 2,057 1919 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana Unranked 3,134 1922 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #1014 3,906 1919 Insufficient historical volume
Oklahoma Unranked 2,256 1920 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania Unranked 8,554 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Mississippi Unranked 1,991 1915 Insufficient historical volume
Kentucky Unranked 2,644 1919 Insufficient historical volume
Montana Unranked 454 1918 Insufficient historical volume
North Carolina #817 4,238 1917 Insufficient historical volume
Vermont Unranked 247 1922 Insufficient historical volume
New York #299 11,061 1918 +67.6% Growth
Maine Unranked 605 1924 Insufficient historical volume
Minnesota #586 2,425 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Tennessee Unranked 2,725 1917 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama Unranked 2,222 1910 Insufficient historical volume
Delaware Unranked 240 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin #555 2,321 1917 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri #789 2,505 1916 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland #815 1,677 1919 Insufficient historical volume
Iowa Unranked 1,470 1920 Insufficient historical volume
Nebraska Unranked 807 1917 Insufficient historical volume
Kansas Unranked 1,140 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #656 4,969 1920 Insufficient historical volume
Georgia #1500 2,786 1916 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho #302 389 1919 Insufficient historical volume
New Hampshire Unranked 303 1922 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts #736 2,237 1917 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey #464 2,426 1918 Insufficient historical volume
District of Columbia Unranked 385 1923 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan Unranked 3,012 1919 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado #623 924 1918 Insufficient historical volume
New Mexico Unranked 404 1962 Insufficient historical volume
Utah #807 616 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Wyoming Unranked 101 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #569 1,174 1917 Insufficient historical volume
Oregon #532 651 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Ohio #705 3,311 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Rhode Island Unranked 259 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana Unranked 1,457 1915 Insufficient historical volume
Connecticut #608 667 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Texas #1253 4,571 1921 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona #799 701 1984 Insufficient historical volume
Florida #1313 1,625 1925 Insufficient historical volume
California #763 4,724 1919 12.8% Decline
Alaska Unranked 22 2015 Insufficient historical volume
Nevada Unranked 20 2019 Insufficient historical volume

👨‍👩‍👧 Sibling Name Suggestions

👦 Brother Suggestions
Hugh Ben Harry Frank Lloyd Judge Worth Giles Brown Earle
👧 Sister Suggestions
Adele Celia Luella Jessie Belle Nelle Freda Signe Mayme Rubye

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Demographic & Volume Peers
Perl Paul Paige Perel Pearle Payal Penny Paula Peace Percy
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