Total births
2,073
Unisex name · since 1923
Berkeley
Berkeley has 2,073 recorded births since 1923 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2017 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2394
- among girls today
- 2,073
- born since 1923
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 86%
- more common than other girls
2,073 babies have been named Berkeley since 1923, making it today's #2394 unisex name.
Berkeley has 2,073 recorded births among girls since 1923, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #2394 as of the latest data, more common than 86% of girls, busiest in the 2010s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1923 to 2025.
- #2394 among girls today
- 2,073 born since 1923
- 2010s peak decade
- 86% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Berkeley is currently the #2394 unisex name in America, more common than 86% of girls - 2,073 born since 1923, peaking in the 2010s.
- #2394
- among girls today
- 2,073
- born since 1923
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 86%
- more common than other girls
Berkeley vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#2394
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 86% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
47% of everyone ever named Berkeley was born in this single decade.
2017
Single peak year
119 babies were named Berkeley in 2017 - its busiest year on record.
How Berkeley compares
2,073 Top 22% higher than 78% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Berkeley's all-time total is 5x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Berkeley | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,073 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 119 | 48 | 19,840 |
Berkeley's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Berkeley's full recorded timeline at 2001, 88% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 12% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1923, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2017 peak of 119 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Berkeley at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2017
Current rank
#2,394
Active since
1923
Berkeley popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1923–2025
- Peak year (2017)
- 119
- Annual births at peak, across 103 years of records
Berkeley popularity over time - boys
900 total births recorded since 1913 (Berkeley as boys' name)
Berkeley by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Berkeley's strongest decade.
967 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 47% of all-time use.
Berkeley births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1920s 5
1920s
5 births
- 1970s 18
1970s
18 births
- 1980s 69
1980s
69 births
- 1990s 143
1990s
143 births
- 2000s 374
2000s
374 births
- 2010s
2010s
967 births
- 2020s
2020s
497 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 967 births (47% of all-time use).
How Berkeley compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Berkeley's total volume
Berkeley vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Berkeley by state
Where Berkeley concentrates geographically, total births since 1923
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 246 | 11.9% |
| #2 | California | | 150 | 7.2% |
| #3 | Virginia | | 57 | 2.7% |
| #4 | Georgia | | 49 | 2.4% |
| #5 | North Carolina | | 42 | 2.0% |
| #6 | Florida | | 25 | 1.2% |
| #7 | Indiana | | 20 | 1.0% |
| #8 | Maryland | | 15 | 0.7% |
Texas share of Berkeley's total US births 11.9%
Even split
246 of 2,073 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 20 reporting states.
Berkeley appears in 20 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Berkeley? ▼
Berkeley has been given to 2,073 babies in the U.S. since 1923, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #2394 as of the latest data. 119 babies were born in 2017, its single highest year.
When was Berkeley most popular? ▼
Berkeley was most popular in the 2010s decade with 967 total births. The single peak year was 2017.
Where is Berkeley most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Berkeley are Texas (246 births), California (150 births), Virginia (57 births).
Is Berkeley a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Berkeley is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 2,073 births, and as a boy's name it has 900 births.
How long has the name Berkeley been used? ▼
Records for Berkeley go back to 1923, giving 103 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Berkeley? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Bertha, Bernice, Bernadette, Bernadine, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Berkeley's data
- Berkeley's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (967 total births) through the 2020s (497) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Berkeleys (246 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Berkeley
Nearby Names Like Berkeley
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Berkeley
Bertha Girl
#4669 207,870 births
Bernice Girl
#3823 182,130 births
Bernadette Girl
#1242 54,973 births
Bernadine Girl
#15327 21,933 births
Bertie Girl
#7594 13,736 births
Compare Berkeley side by side: Berkeley vs Bertha Berkeley vs Bernice Berkeley vs Bernadette
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Berkeley
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1923–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Berkeley: #2394 Unisex Name - 2,073 Births, Peak 2017." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/berkeley. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Berkeley draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.