Berkley
Girl name · #888 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Berkley? In official American birth records, Berkley has been tracked continuously since 1952, giving it 73 years of documented American history.
Berkley ranks #888 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 301 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1079, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 5,980 girls born in 2025 was named Berkley.
The 73-year story
Berkley first appears in the Social Security records in 1952, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 354 girls were named Berkley — good for #798 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.
Babies named Berkley per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Berkley against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Berkley in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Berkley is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Berkley will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Berkley is most common
Geography matters for names, and Berkley is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Berkley is most common in IA (1.4 per 1,000), NE (1.4 per 1,000), KS (0.8 per 1,000), UT (0.6 per 1,000), MN (0.6 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Berkley is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Berkley
Statistically, parents drawn to Berkley tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Brynley, Brinley, Bexley, Tinsley, and Kensley.
BrynleyBrinleyBexleyTinsleyKensleyCharleyBlakleyRipley
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Berkley | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 301 | #887 |
| 2024 | 307 | #878 |
| 2023 | 327 | #837 |
| 2022 | 340 | #822 |
| 2021 | 354 | #798 |
| 2020 | 331 | #822 |
| 2019 | 261 | #988 |
| 2018 | 281 | #946 |
| 2017 | 211 | #1165 |
| 2016 | 229 | #1110 |
| 2015 | 243 | #1079 |
| 2014 | 238 | #1074 |
| 2013 | 234 | #1062 |
| 2012 | 223 | #1111 |
| 2011 | 217 | #1127 |
| 2010 | 193 | #1244 |
| 2009 | 163 | #1432 |
| 2008 | 135 | #1657 |
| 2007 | 134 | #1655 |
| 2006 | 124 | #1691 |
| 2005 | 73 | #2407 |
| 2004 | 61 | #2679 |
| 2003 | 62 | #2577 |
| 2002 | 38 | #3523 |
| 2001 | 48 | #2963 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Berkley?
In official American birth records, the name Berkley first appeared in 1952 (over 73 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 73 years.
Is Berkley a popular girl name?
Berkley ranked #888 among girls in 2025 with 301 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1079.
When was the name Berkley most popular?
Berkley peaked in 2021, when 354 American girls received the name (ranked #798 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Berkley?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 5,980 newborn American girls was named Berkley. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.