Holding steady.
Popularity of Perlie since 1889
Babies named Perlie per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1922, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Perlie's real moment was 1896.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 5 | 0 |
| 1890s | 34 | 0 |
| 1900s | 48 | 0 |
| 1910s | 100 | 23 |
| 1920s | 175 | 35 |
| 1930s | 107 | 15 |
| 1940s | 78 | 0 |
| 1950s | 10 | 0 |
| 1960s | 8 | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Perlie emerged in the late 19th century as a diminutive of Pearl, a name that ranked among the most popular gemstone names for girls. Perlie itself saw its peak year in 1896, when it was used for a modest number of newborns, reflecting the era's fashion for dainty, suffix-ending variants. Though it has never regained that popularity, its trajectory over recent decades has been stable, with consistent but very rare usage. As a name linked to the Victorian pearl-mania, Perlie carries a vintage charm that appeals to parents seeking an obscure, gentle-sounding choice.
Perlie is typically a diminutive of Pearl, a name derived from the English word for the gemstone, ultimately from Latin 'perna' meaning 'leg' (referring to a type of shellfish). It may also be a variant of Perly, which could be from an English surname meaning 'pear tree meadow' or 'pear clearing'.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Perl, Perry
Sibling names for Perlie
Names that share Perlie's style, for a brother or sister.
