Unisex name · since 1896
Caryl
Since 1896, U.S. Social Security records show 6,347 babies named Caryl, peaking in 1947. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2,209 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 6,347
- born since 1896
- 1940s
- peak decade
Caryl sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 6,347 recorded since 1896.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Caryl has been recorded 6,347 times among girls since 1896, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1940s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1896 to 1996.
- #2,209 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 6,347 born since 1896
- 1940s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Caryl ranks #2,209 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 6,347 born since 1896, peaking in the 1940s.
- #2,209 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 6,347
- born since 1896
- 1940s
- peak decade
Caryl's 6,347 recorded births place it above 96.94% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
26 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by New York.
Caryl's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Caryl splits its recorded history at 1948: 45% of all births land in the more recent half, 55% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1896 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1947 peak of 190 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Caryl popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1896–1996
- Peak year (1947)
- 190
- Annual births at peak, across 101 years of records
Caryl popularity over time - boys
344 total births recorded since 1898 (Caryl as boys' name)
Caryl by decade
1940s is the heaviest window (1,490 births, 23% of the file).
1940s was Caryl's strongest decade.
1,490 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Caryl births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 11
1890s
11 births
- 1900s 38
1900s
38 births
- 1910s 250
1910s
250 births
- 1920s
1920s
772 births
- 1930s
1930s
1,255 births
- 1940s
1940s
1,490 births
- 1950s
1950s
1,437 births
- 1960s
1960s
756 births
- 1970s 204
1970s
204 births
- 1980s 105
1980s
105 births
- 1990s 29
1990s
29 births
What this shows Peak: 1940s at 1,490 births (23% of all-time use).
How Caryl 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 Caryl's total volume
Caryl by state
Where Caryl concentrates geographically, total births since 1896
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 911 | 14.4% |
| #2 | Illinois | | 781 | 12.3% |
| #3 | California | | 364 | 5.7% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 307 | 4.8% |
| #5 | Wisconsin | | 260 | 4.1% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 234 | 3.7% |
| #7 | New Jersey | | 211 | 3.3% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 155 | 2.4% |
911 of 6,347 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 26 reporting states.
Caryl appears in 26 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Caryl? ▼
Where does Caryl sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Caryl most popular? ▼
Where is Caryl most popular? ▼
Is Caryl a unisex name? ▼
How long has the name Caryl been used? ▼
What names are similar to Caryl? ▼
What to do with Caryl's data
- Caryl's decade-level peak was the 1940s (1,490 total births); usage has since declined to 29 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Caryls (911 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Caryl
Nearby Names Like Caryl
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Caryl
Compare Caryl side by side: Caryl vs Carol Caryl vs Carolyn Caryl vs Carrie
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Caryl: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1947)
Similar record span (~100 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1896–1996 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Caryl 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 August 2026.