Earl
A male given name from English from the English noun earl.
Every Earl since 1880 — 291,421 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Earl
Earl is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,236 in 2025 with 63 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 291,421 American babies have been named Earl. Its peak came in 1921, when 6,797 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Earl stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Earl year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 63 | #2,236 |
| 2024 | — | — | 68 | #2,158 |
| 2023 | — | — | 63 | #2,251 |
| 2022 | — | — | 78 | #1,971 |
| 2021 | — | — | 99 | #1,667 |
| 2020 | — | — | 68 | #2,075 |
| 2019 | — | — | 97 | #1,664 |
| 2018 | — | — | 98 | #1,649 |
| 2017 | — | — | 114 | #1,480 |
| 2016 | — | — | 110 | #1,525 |
| 2015 | — | — | 129 | #1,355 |
| 2014 | — | — | 105 | #1,526 |
| 2013 | — | — | 98 | #1,580 |
| 2012 | — | — | 123 | #1,371 |
| 2011 | — | — | 115 | #1,431 |
| 2010 | — | — | 115 | #1,443 |
| 2009 | — | — | 140 | #1,258 |
| 2008 | — | — | 170 | #1,093 |
| 2007 | — | — | 170 | #1,081 |
| 2006 | — | — | 188 | #987 |
| 2005 | — | — | 183 | #953 |
| 2004 | — | — | 178 | #945 |
| 2003 | — | — | 199 | #868 |
| 2002 | — | — | 202 | #826 |
| 2001 | — | — | 231 | #749 |
| 2000 | — | — | 245 | #712 |
| 1995 | — | — | 321 | #570 |
| 1990 | — | — | 569 | #407 |
| 1985 | — | — | 690 | #294 |
| 1980 | 11 | #6,026 | 901 | #250 |
| 1975 | 14 | #4,414 | 1,024 | #212 |
| 1970 | 15 | #3,917 | 1,630 | #173 |
| 1965 | 13 | #3,602 | 1,949 | #156 |
| 1960 | 16 | #3,124 | 2,565 | #139 |
| 1955 | 18 | #2,654 | 3,246 | #106 |
| 1950 | 17 | #2,461 | 3,589 | #92 |
| 1945 | 25 | #1,670 | 3,567 | #71 |
| 1940 | 23 | #1,647 | 3,944 | #52 |
| 1935 | 46 | #1,021 | 4,224 | #46 |
| 1930 | 73 | #834 | 5,567 | #38 |
| 1925 | 65 | #924 | 6,436 | #31 |
| 1920 | 52 | #1,032 | 6,533 | #31 |
| 1915 | 27 | #1,375 | 4,908 | #33 |
| 1910 | 8 | #1,818 | 1,109 | #33 |
| 1905 | 16 | #936 | 904 | #29 |
| 1900 | 12 | #1,127 | 1,037 | #28 |
| 1895 | 10 | #1,074 | 851 | #23 |
| 1890 | — | — | 744 | #24 |
| 1885 | — | — | 481 | #36 |
| 1880 | — | — | 335 | #52 |
Famous people named Earl
- Earl Wilbur Sutherland Jr. Chemist · 1915–1974
- Earl Warren Judge · 1891–1974
- Earl Boen Actor · b. 1945
- Earl Cameron Actor · 1917–2020
- Earl Hines Musician · 1903–1983
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Earl mean?
A male given name from English from the English noun earl.
How popular is the name Earl in 2025?
Earl ranked #2,236 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 63 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Earl?
291,421 babies have been named Earl in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Earl most popular?
Earl peaked in 1921, when 6,797 newborns received the name.
Is Earl a boy or girl name?
Earl is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Earl rising or falling?
Earl is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Earl?
Well-known people named Earl include Earl Wilbur Sutherland Jr. (chemist), Earl Warren (judge), Earl Boen (actor).