Holding steady.
Popularity of Virl since 1912
Babies named Virl per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1922, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Virl's real moment was 1914.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 27 | 59 |
| 1920s | 0 | 61 |
| 1930s | 0 | 48 |
| 1940s | 0 | 22 |
| 1950s | 0 | 6 |
| 1960s | 0 | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Virl is one of the many short-lived American given names that flickered into existence during the naming fashions of the early 20th century. According to U.S. Social Security data, it was first recorded in 1912, reached its peak usage in 1914, and then quickly disappeared from the rolls. The name's trajectory has been stable at zero for decades, with no recorded births in the latest year (2025). Its origin is obscure, but it likely represents a phonetic respelling of Earl or a clipped form of Virgil, following the trend for invented or altered names in that era. With a one-in-N ratio that is effectively zero, Virl remains a historical curiosity rather than a living name choice.
Virl first appeared in U.S. birth records in the 1910s, likely as a creative respelling of Earl or a diminutive form of Virgil. Its usage was brief and rare, peaking in 1914 and quickly falling out of favor. No clear derivation from established naming traditions has been documented.
Sibling names for Virl
Names that share Virl's style, for a brother or sister.
