Total births
7,181
Boys' name · since 1880
Burl
Burl has 7,181 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1921 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #9898
- among boys today
- 7,181
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 31%
- more common than other boys
7,181 babies have been named Burl since 1880, making it today's #9898 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Burl recorded 7,181 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #9898 nationally today, ahead of 31% of boys, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2024.
- #9898 among boys today
- 7,181 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 31% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Burl is currently the #9898 boys' name in America, more common than 31% of boys - 7,181 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #9898
- among boys today
- 7,181
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 31%
- more common than other boys
Burl vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#9898
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 31% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
23% of everyone ever named Burl was born in this single decade.
1921
Single peak year
211 babies were named Burl in 1921 - its busiest year on record.
How Burl compares
7,181 Top 10% higher than 90% 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
Burl's all-time total is 20x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Burl | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 7,181 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 211 | 23 | 22,252 |
Burl's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Burl's full recorded timeline at 1941, 37% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 63% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1989, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1921 peak of 211 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Burl at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1921
Current rank
#9,898
Active since
1880
Burl popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2024
- Peak year (1921)
- 211
- Annual births at peak, across 145 years of records
Burl popularity over time - girls
19 total births recorded since 1924 (Burl as girls' name)
Burl by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Burl's strongest decade.
1,656 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Burl births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 152
1880s
152 births
- 1890s 135
1890s
135 births
- 1900s 180
1900s
180 births
- 1910s
1910s
989 births
- 1920s
1920s
1,656 births
- 1930s
1930s
1,292 births
- 1940s
1940s
994 births
- 1950s
1950s
832 births
- 1960s 452
1960s
452 births
- 1970s 265
1970s
265 births
- 1980s 144
1980s
144 births
- 1990s 42
1990s
42 births
- 2000s 18
2000s
18 births
- 2010s 18
2010s
18 births
- 2020s 12
2020s
12 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 1,656 births (23% of all-time use).
How Burl 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 Burl's total volume
Burl vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Burl by state
Where Burl concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 637 | 8.9% |
| #2 | Oklahoma | | 509 | 7.1% |
| #3 | Arkansas | | 459 | 6.4% |
| #4 | West Virginia | | 433 | 6.0% |
| #5 | Tennessee | | 324 | 4.5% |
| #6 | Kentucky | | 301 | 4.2% |
| #7 | Missouri | | 285 | 4.0% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 197 | 2.7% |
Texas share of Burl's total US births 8.9%
Even split
637 of 7,181 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 21 reporting states.
Burl appears in 21 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Burl? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 7,181 babies named Burl. Today it holds rank #9898 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1921, with 211 births.
When was Burl most popular? ▼
Burl was most popular in the 1920s decade with 1,656 total births. The single peak year was 1921.
Where is Burl most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Burl are Texas (637 births), Oklahoma (509 births), Arkansas (459 births).
How long has the name Burl been used? ▼
Burl has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 145 years of data through 2024.
What names are similar to Burl? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Burton, Burt, Burke, Burnell, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Burl's data
- Burl's decade-level peak was the 1920s (1,656 total births); usage has since declined to 12 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Burls (637 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 Burl
Nearby Names Like Burl
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Burl
Burton Boy
#5067 22,486 births
Burt Boy
6,555 births
Burke Boy
#3222 4,118 births
Burnell Boy
2,790 births
Burley Boy
2,310 births
Compare Burl side by side: Burl vs Burton Burl vs Burt Burl vs Burke
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Burl
Benjiman #9897
4,307 births · Peak 1921
Loyd #9899
22,436 births · Peak 1926
General #9896
4,025 births · Peak 1918
Seymour #9900
13,112 births · Peak 1924
Barney #9895
16,090 births · Peak 1919
Lindsey #9901
7,735 births · Peak 1954
Bob #9894
92,986 births · Peak 1959
Godfrey #9902
3,245 births · Peak 1918
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, 1880–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Burl: #9898 Boys' Name - 7,181 Births, Peak 1921." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/burl. 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 Burl 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.