Erle
A rare spelling variant of Earl.
Every Erle since 1882 — 855 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Erle
Erle is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1882, 855 American babies have been named Erle. Its peak came in 1917, when 28 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
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 Erle stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Erle year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | 8 | #3,613 |
| 1965 | 6 | #3,655 |
| 1960 | 7 | #3,443 |
| 1955 | 9 | #2,834 |
| 1950 | 14 | #2,055 |
| 1945 | 8 | #2,625 |
| 1940 | 6 | #3,232 |
| 1935 | 15 | #1,861 |
| 1930 | 13 | #2,214 |
| 1925 | 24 | #1,547 |
| 1920 | 15 | #2,164 |
| 1915 | 16 | #1,814 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | 5 | #983 |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Erle
- Erle Stanley Gardner Writer · 1889–1970
- Erle C. Kenton Film director · 1896–1980
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Erle mean?
A rare spelling variant of Earl.
How popular is the name Erle in 2025?
Erle did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Erle?
855 babies have been named Erle in the United States since 1882, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Erle most popular?
Erle peaked in 1917, when 28 newborns received the name.
Is Erle a boy or girl name?
Erle is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Erle rising or falling?
Erle has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Erle?
Well-known people named Erle include Erle Stanley Gardner (writer), Erle C. Kenton (film director).