Karl
Boy name · #1586 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Karl? In official American birth records, Karl has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
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. Source: Official national birth records.
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?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Karl is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". 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
State-level data for Karl 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 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
How old is the name Karl?
In official American birth records, the name Karl first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 21 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
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. 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.