Rising since 1990, #4,352 for girls today.
Popularity of Perl since 1883
Babies named Perl per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 0 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0 | 5 |
| 1900s | 0 | 0 |
| 1910s | 0 | 38 |
| 1920s | 5 | 22 |
| 1930s | 0 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0 | 0 |
| 1950s | 0 | 0 |
| 1960s | 5 | 0 |
| 1970s | 11 | 0 |
| 1980s | 23 | 0 |
| 1990s | 50 | 0 |
| 2000s | 140 | 0 |
| 2010s | 216 | 0 |
| 2020s | 166 | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Perl is a rare but resurgent variant of the classic Pearl, a name that never completely faded from use. First recorded in U.S. data in 1929, it remained obscure for decades before beginning a gradual climb in the 1990s. Its trajectory shows consistent growth, reaching its highest rank of 4352 in 2025, a year in which it was given to roughly 1 in 50,227 girls. While not among the top 1000 names, Perl has carved out a small niche, especially in the 2020s, and its peak year so far is 2023. The name's simplicity and gemstone association give it a natural appeal that aligns with the modern taste for vintage and nature-inspired names.
Perl is a variant spelling of Pearl, which derives from the English word for the precious gem, via Old French perle. Used as a given name since the 19th century, it was most common in the early 1900s and has seen a small resurgence in the 2020s.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Perly
Sibling names for Perl
Names that share Perl's style, for a brother or sister.
