Unisex name · since 1919

Gearl

Since 1919, U.S. Social Security records show 236 babies named Gearl, peaking in 1942. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.

#12,002 of 45,481
all-time among boys
236
born since 1919
1940s
peak decade

236 boys have been named Gearl since 1919, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.

Social Security Administration records show Gearl recorded 236 times among boys since 1919, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1940s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1919 to 1965.

  • #12,002 of 45,481 all-time among boys
  • 236 born since 1919
  • 1940s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gearl ranks #12,002 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 236 born since 1919, peaking in the 1940s.

#12,002 of 45,481
all-time among boys
236
born since 1919
1940s
peak decade
Below the archive median
All-time archive position

Gearl's 236 recorded births place it above 73.58% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.

National only
State-record footprint

No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.

Gearl's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Divide Gearl's SSA record in two at 1939 and the more recent half accounts for 53% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 47%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1920, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1942 peak of 15, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.

Gearl popularity over time - boys

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1919–1965

Last recorded 1965
Peak year (1942)
15
Annual births at peak, across 47 years of records
05101520 191919241929193619401944195019621965 5

Gearl popularity over time - girls

64 total births recorded since 1931 (Gearl as girls' name)

Unisex variant - 64 births
456789 19311932193419361937193819401941194619471958 5

Gearl by decade

1940s is the heaviest window (74 births, 31% of the file).

1940s was Gearl's strongest decade.

74 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 31% of all-time use.

Gearl births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1940s at 74 births (31% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Gearl? ▼
236 babies have been named Gearl since 1919. All-time, it sits at #12,002 of 45,481 boys' names by recorded births. It was last recorded in 1965. The peak year was 1942 with 15 births.
Where does Gearl sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gearl ranks #12,002 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Gearl most popular? ▼
Gearl was most popular in the 1940s decade with 74 total births. The single peak year was 1942.
Is Gearl a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Gearl is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 236 births, and as a girl's name it has 64 births.
How long has the name Gearl been used? ▼
Gearl has been recorded in Social Security data since 1919, spanning 47 years of data through 1965.
What names are similar to Gearl? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Gearld, Geary, Gean, Gearold, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

What to do with Gearl's data

  • Gearl's decade-level peak was the 1940s (74 total births); usage has since declined to 11 in the 1960s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Gearl

Nearby Names Like Gearl

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gearl

Gearld Boy
4,281 births
Geary Boy
2,457 births
Gean Boy
#12099 564 births
Gearold Boy
186 births
Gearald Boy
66 births

Compare Gearl side by side: Gearl vs Gearld Gearl vs Geary Gearl vs Gean

Or pick any two names to compare →

Related Names

Names with a similar number of total births

Elonzo #8255
236 births · Peak 2021
Deren
236 births · Peak 2004
Donnelle
236 births · Peak 1979
Truong
236 births · Peak 1983
Jaran
236 births · Peak 1989
Aarik #11039
236 births · Peak 2017
Brentyn
236 births · Peak 2011
Jabarie
236 births · Peak 2006

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Gearl: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

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, 1919–1965 (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 Gearl 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.