Total births
8,631
Boys' name · since 1896
Errol
Since 1896, U.S. Social Security records show 8,631 babies named Errol, peaking in 1941. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #5917
- among boys today
- 8,631
- born since 1896
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 59%
- more common than other boys
8,631 babies have been named Errol since 1896, making it today's #5917 boys' name.
Errol has 8,631 recorded births among boys since 1896, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #5917 as of the latest data, more common than 59% of boys, busiest in the 1940s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1896 to 2025.
- #5917 among boys today
- 8,631 born since 1896
- 1940s peak decade
- 59% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Errol is currently the #5917 boys' name in America, more common than 59% of boys - 8,631 born since 1896, peaking in the 1940s.
- #5917
- among boys today
- 8,631
- born since 1896
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 59%
- more common than other boys
Errol vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#5917
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 59% of names given to boys today.
1940s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Errol was born in this single decade.
1941
Single peak year
272 babies were named Errol in 1941 - its busiest year on record.
How Errol compares
8,631 Top 9% higher than 91% 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
Errol's all-time total is 24x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Errol | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 8,631 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 272 | 23 | 22,252 |
Errol's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Errol's full recorded timeline at 1968, 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 1897, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1941 peak of 272 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Errol at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1941
Current rank
#5,917
Active since
1896
Errol popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1896–2025
- Peak year (1941)
- 272
- Annual births at peak, across 130 years of records
Errol by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1940s was Errol's strongest decade.
1,797 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Errol births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 11
1890s
11 births
- 1910s 109
1910s
109 births
- 1920s 196
1920s
196 births
- 1930s 691
1930s
691 births
- 1940s
1940s
1,797 births
- 1950s
1950s
1,197 births
- 1960s
1960s
1,293 births
- 1970s
1970s
1,064 births
- 1980s
1980s
901 births
- 1990s 648
1990s
648 births
- 2000s 358
2000s
358 births
- 2010s 275
2010s
275 births
- 2020s 91
2020s
91 births
What this shows Peak: 1940s at 1,797 births (21% of all-time use).
How Errol 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 Errol's total volume
Errol vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Errol by state
Where Errol concentrates geographically, total births since 1896
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 1,097 | 12.7% |
| #2 | Louisiana | | 904 | 10.5% |
| #3 | California | | 658 | 7.6% |
| #4 | Florida | | 386 | 4.5% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 326 | 3.8% |
| #6 | Texas | | 269 | 3.1% |
| #7 | Michigan | | 178 | 2.1% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 150 | 1.7% |
New York share of Errol's total US births 12.7%
Even split
1,097 of 8,631 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 35 reporting states.
Errol appears in 35 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Errol? ▼
Since 1896, Social Security records show 8,631 babies named Errol. Today it holds rank #5917 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1941, with 272 births.
When was Errol most popular? ▼
Errol was most popular in the 1940s decade with 1,797 total births. The single peak year was 1941.
Where is Errol most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Errol are New York (1,097 births), Louisiana (904 births), California (658 births).
How long has the name Errol been used? ▼
Records for Errol go back to 1896, giving 130 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Errol? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Errick, Erron, Erroll, Erric, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Errol's data
- Errol's decade-level peak was the 1940s (1,797 total births); usage has since declined to 91 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Errols (1,097 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 Errol
Nearby Names Like Errol
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Errol
Errick Boy
#12575 1,326 births
Erron Boy
#11139 860 births
Erroll Boy
822 births
Erric Boy
336 births
Errin Boy
271 births
Compare Errol side by side: Errol vs Errick Errol vs Erron Errol vs Erroll
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Errol
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, 1896–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Errol: #5917 Boys' Name - 8,631 Births, Peak 1941." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/errol. 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 Errol 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.