Total births
855
Boys' name · since 1882
Erle
Since 1882, U.S. Social Security records show 855 babies named Erle, peaking in 1917. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 855
- total births
- 1882–1981
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 22%
- born in that decade
855 boys have been named Erle since 1882, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Erle has been recorded 855 times among boys since 1882, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, 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 1882 to 1981.
- 855 total births
- 1882–1981 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 22% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
855 boys have been named Erle since 1882, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1981.
- 855
- total births
- 1882–1981
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 22%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
22% of everyone ever named Erle was born in this single decade.
1917
Single peak year
28 babies were named Erle in 1917 - its busiest year on record.
Erle's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Erle's full recorded timeline at 1939, 42% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 58% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1882, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1917 peak of 28 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Erle at a glance
Last recorded 1981Peak year
1917
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1882
Erle popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1882–1981
- Peak year (1917)
- 28
- Annual births at peak, across 100 years of records
Erle by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Erle's strongest decade.
186 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.
Erle births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 10
1880s
10 births
- 1890s 18
1890s
18 births
- 1900s 7
1900s
7 births
- 1910s
1910s
153 births
- 1920s
1920s
186 births
- 1930s
1930s
128 births
- 1940s
1940s
123 births
- 1950s
1950s
120 births
- 1960s
1960s
81 births
- 1970s 24
1970s
24 births
- 1980s 5
1980s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 186 births (22% of all-time use).
How Erle 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 Erle's total volume
Erle vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Erle by state
Where Erle concentrates geographically, total births since 1882
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Minnesota | | 5 | 0.6% |
Minnesota share of Erle's total US births 0.6%
5 of 855 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Erle? ▼
Erle has been given to 855 babies in the U.S. since 1882, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1981. 28 babies were born in 1917, its single highest year.
When was Erle most popular? ▼
Erle was most popular in the 1920s decade with 186 total births. The single peak year was 1917.
Where is Erle most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Erle are Minnesota (5 births).
How long has the name Erle been used? ▼
Erle has been recorded in Social Security data since 1882, spanning 100 years of data through 1981.
What names are similar to Erle? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Erling, Erland, Erlin, Erlon, and 2 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Erle's data
- Erle's decade-level peak was the 1920s (186 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Minnesota records the most Erles (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Minnesota 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 Erle
Nearby Names Like Erle
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Erle
Erling Boy
#2924 1,402 births
Erland Boy
478 births
Erlin Boy
#4218 362 births
Erlon Boy
31 births
Erlan Boy
#13381 17 births
Compare Erle side by side: Erle vs Erling Erle vs Erland Erle vs Erlin
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1882–1981 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Erle: Baby Name Since 1882 - 855 Births, Peak 1917." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/erle. 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 Erle 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 July 2026.