Earl
Boy name · #2230 in 2025 · Uniqueness 75/100
Earl ranks #2230 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 63 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1353, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 28,571 boys born in 2025 was named Earl.
Babies named Earl per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Earl first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 335 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1921, when 6,754 boys were named Earl — good for #31 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Earl against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Earl in class?
Earl scores 75 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Earl will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Earl is most common
State-level data for Earl is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Earl
Statistically, parents drawn to Earl tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Cecil, Fred, Virgil, Floyd, and Herman.
CecilFredVirgilFloydHermanEdmondEltonRussel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Earl | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 63 | #2230 |
| 2024 | 68 | #2156 |
| 2023 | 63 | #2244 |
| 2022 | 78 | #1965 |
| 2021 | 99 | #1667 |
| 2020 | 68 | #2069 |
| 2019 | 97 | #1658 |
| 2018 | 98 | #1648 |
| 2017 | 114 | #1478 |
| 2016 | 110 | #1522 |
| 2015 | 129 | #1353 |
| 2014 | 105 | #1526 |
| 2013 | 98 | #1578 |
| 2012 | 123 | #1367 |
| 2011 | 115 | #1429 |
| 2010 | 115 | #1438 |
| 2009 | 140 | #1257 |
| 2008 | 170 | #1090 |
| 2007 | 170 | #1080 |
| 2006 | 188 | #985 |
| 2005 | 183 | #953 |
| 2004 | 178 | #945 |
| 2003 | 199 | #867 |
| 2002 | 202 | #826 |
| 2001 | 231 | #749 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Earl a popular boy name?
Earl ranked #2230 among boys in 2025 with 63 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1353.
When was the name Earl most popular?
Earl peaked in 1921, when 6,754 American boys received the name (ranked #31 that year). Since 1921 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Earl?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 28,571 newborn American boys was named Earl. It scores 75/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.