Total births
1,089
Boys' name · since 1912
Berl
Berl has 1,089 recorded births since 1912 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1922 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #5086
- among boys today
- 1,089
- born since 1912
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 64%
- more common than other boys
Berl currently ranks #5086 among boys' names in America, with 1,089 babies recorded since 1912.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Berl has been recorded 1,089 times among boys since 1912, currently ranked #5086 nationally and more common than 64% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1912 to 2025.
- #5086 among boys today
- 1,089 born since 1912
- 1920s peak decade
- 64% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Berl is currently the #5086 boys' name in America, more common than 64% of boys - 1,089 born since 1912, peaking in the 1920s.
- #5086
- among boys today
- 1,089
- born since 1912
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 64%
- more common than other boys
Berl vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#5086
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 64% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
20% of everyone ever named Berl was born in this single decade.
1922
Single peak year
26 babies were named Berl in 1922 - its busiest year on record.
How Berl compares
1,089 Top 29% higher than 71% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys 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
Berl's all-time total is 197% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Berl | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,089 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 26 | 23 | 22,252 |
Berl's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Berl splits its recorded history at 1953: 42% of all births land in the more recent half, 58% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1912 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1922 peak of 26 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Berl at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1922
Current rank
#5,086
Active since
1912
Berl popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1912–2025
- Peak year (1922)
- 26
- Annual births at peak, across 114 years of records
Berl popularity over time - girls
5 total births recorded since 1921 (Berl as girls' name)
Berl by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Berl's strongest decade.
215 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 20% of all-time use.
Berl births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
124 births
- 1920s
1920s
215 births
- 1930s
1930s
149 births
- 1940s
1940s
122 births
- 1950s
1950s
94 births
- 1960s 41
1960s
41 births
- 1970s 6
1970s
6 births
- 1980s 21
1980s
21 births
- 1990s 21
1990s
21 births
- 2000s 51
2000s
51 births
- 2010s
2010s
143 births
- 2020s
2020s
102 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 215 births (20% of all-time use).
How Berl compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Berl's total volume
Berl vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Berl by state
Where Berl concentrates geographically, total births since 1912
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 201 | 18.5% |
| #2 | Illinois | | 5 | 0.5% |
| #3 | Indiana | | 5 | 0.5% |
| #4 | Oklahoma | | 5 | 0.5% |
New York share of Berl's total US births 18.5%
Even split
201 of 1,089 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Berl? ▼
Berl has been given to 1,089 babies in the U.S. since 1912, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #5086 as of the latest data. 26 babies were born in 1922, its single highest year.
When was Berl most popular? ▼
Berl was most popular in the 1920s decade with 215 total births. The single peak year was 1922.
Where is Berl most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Berl are New York (201 births), Illinois (5 births), Indiana (5 births).
How long has the name Berl been used? ▼
Berl has been recorded in Social Security data since 1912, spanning 114 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Berl? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Bernard, Bert, Bernardo, Bernie, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Berl's data
- Berl's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (215 total births) through the 2020s (102) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- New York records the most Berls (201 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Berl
Nearby Names Like Berl
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Berl
Bernard Boy
#1318 200,087 births
Bert Boy
#8312 33,585 births
Bernardo Boy
#1342 11,175 births
Bernie Boy
#5454 9,225 births
Bertram Boy
#7766 7,955 births
Compare Berl side by side: Berl vs Bernard Berl vs Bert Berl vs Bernardo
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Berl
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, 1912–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Berl: #5086 Boys' Name - 1,089 Births, Peak 1922." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/berl. 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 Berl 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.