Berkeley
Girl name · #2488 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Berkeley? In official American birth records, Berkeley has been tracked continuously since 1923, giving it 102 years of documented American history.
Berkeley is currently the #2488 girl name in the United States — 71 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1883, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 25,352 girls born in 2025 was named Berkeley.
Babies named Berkeley per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 102-year story
Berkeley first appears in the Social Security records in 1923, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2017, when 119 girls were named Berkeley — good for #1761 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Berkeley against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Berkeley in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Berkeley is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Berkeley will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Berkeley is most common
State-level data for Berkeley is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Berkeley
Statistically, parents drawn to Berkeley tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Blakeley, Brynnley, Brynley, Blakley, and Kinzley.
BlakeleyBrynnleyBrynleyBlakleyKinzleyKenzleyEisleyBentley
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Berkeley | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 71 | #2485 |
| 2024 | 76 | #2389 |
| 2023 | 81 | #2269 |
| 2022 | 80 | #2319 |
| 2021 | 89 | #2119 |
| 2020 | 100 | #1908 |
| 2019 | 98 | #1971 |
| 2018 | 115 | #1774 |
| 2017 | 119 | #1761 |
| 2016 | 117 | #1775 |
| 2015 | 108 | #1883 |
| 2014 | 85 | #2213 |
| 2013 | 84 | #2211 |
| 2012 | 77 | #2401 |
| 2011 | 88 | #2156 |
| 2010 | 76 | #2451 |
| 2009 | 56 | #3047 |
| 2008 | 56 | #3054 |
| 2007 | 48 | #3428 |
| 2006 | 43 | #3617 |
| 2005 | 45 | #3366 |
| 2004 | 30 | #4492 |
| 2003 | 24 | #5092 |
| 2002 | 21 | #5444 |
| 2001 | 29 | #4209 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Berkeley?
In official American birth records, the name Berkeley first appeared in 1923 (over 102 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 102 years.
Is Berkeley a popular girl name?
Berkeley ranked #2488 among girls in 2025 with 71 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1883.
When was the name Berkeley most popular?
Berkeley peaked in 2017, when 119 American girls received the name (ranked #1761 that year). Since 2017 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Berkeley?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 25,352 newborn American girls was named Berkeley. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.