Perl
Girl name · #4374 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Perl? In official American birth records, Perl has been tracked continuously since 1929, giving it 96 years of documented American history.
Perl ranks #4374 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 32 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #6452, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 56,250 girls born in 2025 was named Perl.
Babies named Perl per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 96-year story
Perl first appears in the Social Security records in 1929, when 5 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2023, with 35 babies and a rank of #4114. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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 Perl against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Perl in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Perl is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Perl will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Perl is most common
State-level data for Perl 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 Perl
Statistically, parents drawn to Perl tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Perel, Liel, Ciel, Adel, and Mirel.
PerelLielCielAdelMirelPeaceLayalAiya
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Perl | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 32 | #4352 |
| 2024 | 24 | #5300 |
| 2023 | 35 | #4114 |
| 2022 | 29 | #4671 |
| 2021 | 25 | #5091 |
| 2020 | 21 | #5667 |
| 2019 | 24 | #5306 |
| 2018 | 24 | #5315 |
| 2017 | 25 | #5191 |
| 2016 | 33 | #4345 |
| 2015 | 19 | #6452 |
| 2014 | 23 | #5625 |
| 2013 | 20 | #6255 |
| 2012 | 17 | #7144 |
| 2011 | 11 | #9723 |
| 2010 | 20 | #6382 |
| 2009 | 22 | #6091 |
| 2008 | 12 | #9476 |
| 2007 | 16 | #7733 |
| 2006 | 12 | #9286 |
| 2005 | 14 | #7891 |
| 2004 | 20 | #5969 |
| 2003 | 9 | #10425 |
| 2002 | 13 | #7816 |
| 2001 | 15 | #6956 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Perl?
In official American birth records, the name Perl first appeared in 1929 (over 96 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 96 years.
Is Perl a popular girl name?
Perl ranked #4374 among girls in 2025 with 32 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #6452.
When was the name Perl most popular?
Perl peaked in 2023, when 35 American girls received the name (ranked #4114 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Perl?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 56,250 newborn American girls was named Perl. 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.