Karl
Boy name · #1586 in 2025 · Uniqueness 68/100
Karl is currently the #1586 boy name in the United States — 107 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1075, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 16,822 boys born in 2025 was named Karl.
Babies named Karl per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Karl first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 21 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1960, when 2,594 boys were named Karl — good for #135 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 Karl against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Karl in class?
Karl scores 68 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 Karl will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Karl is most common
Geography matters for names, and Karl is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Karls were NJ (10), NY (8), FL (7), PA (7), IL (6). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Karl
Statistically, parents drawn to Karl tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Carl, Kent, Neal, Daryl, and Kurt.
CarlKentNealDarylKurtRandallKerryKirk
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Karl | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 107 | #1585 |
| 2024 | 99 | #1685 |
| 2023 | 101 | #1681 |
| 2022 | 128 | #1425 |
| 2021 | 115 | #1529 |
| 2020 | 104 | #1568 |
| 2019 | 145 | #1283 |
| 2018 | 143 | #1282 |
| 2017 | 141 | #1287 |
| 2016 | 167 | #1149 |
| 2015 | 184 | #1075 |
| 2014 | 165 | #1147 |
| 2013 | 169 | #1096 |
| 2012 | 161 | #1135 |
| 2011 | 173 | #1078 |
| 2010 | 177 | #1086 |
| 2009 | 207 | #966 |
| 2008 | 188 | #1019 |
| 2007 | 242 | #859 |
| 2006 | 270 | #769 |
| 2005 | 265 | #752 |
| 2004 | 281 | #695 |
| 2003 | 300 | #658 |
| 2002 | 330 | #608 |
| 2001 | 351 | #580 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Karl a popular boy name?
Karl ranked #1586 among boys in 2025 with 107 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1075.
When was the name Karl most popular?
Karl peaked in 1960, when 2,594 American boys received the name (ranked #135 that year). Since 1960 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Karl?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 16,822 newborn American boys was named Karl. It scores 68/100 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.