Boys' name · since 1921

Sterl

Since 1921, U.S. Social Security records show 13 babies named Sterl, peaking in 1921. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.

#32,327 of 45,481
all-time among boys
13
born since 1921
1920s
peak decade

Sterl sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 13 recorded since 1921.

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Sterl has been recorded 13 times among boys since 1921, 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 1921 to 1929.

  • #32,327 of 45,481 all-time among boys
  • 13 born since 1921
  • 1920s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Sterl ranks #32,327 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 13 born since 1921, peaking in the 1920s.

#32,327 of 45,481
all-time among boys
13
born since 1921
1920s
peak decade
Below the archive median
All-time archive position

Sterl's 13 recorded births place it above 28.77% 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.

Sterl's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Divide Sterl's SSA record in two at 1929 and the more recent half accounts for 38% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 62%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1929, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1921 peak of 8, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.

Sterl popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1921–1929

Last recorded 1929
Peak year (1921)
8
Annual births at peak, across 9 years of records
456789 19211929 5

Sterl by decade

1920s is the heaviest window (13 births, 100% of the file).

1920s was Sterl's strongest decade.

13 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 100% of all-time use.

Sterl births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1920s at 13 births (100% of all-time use).

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Sterl? ▼
Sterl has been given to 13 babies in the U.S. since 1921, according to SSA data. Its archive ordinal is #32,327 of 45,481 among boys' names (total births, highest first). Its last appearance in the data was 1929. 8 babies were born in 1921, its single highest year.
Where does Sterl sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Sterl ranks #32,327 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 Sterl most popular? ▼
Sterl was most popular in the 1920s decade with 13 total births. The single peak year was 1921.
How long has the name Sterl been used? ▼
Sterl has been recorded in Social Security data since 1921, spanning 9 years of data through 1929.
What names are similar to Sterl? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Steven, Stephen, Steve, Sterling, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

Keep exploring Sterl

Nearby Names Like Sterl

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

Steven Boy
#271 1,293,124 births
Stephen Boy
#383 864,739 births
Steve Boy
#1609 241,224 births
Sterling Boy
#346 37,474 births
Stewart Boy
#3952 31,200 births

Compare Sterl side by side: Sterl vs Steven Sterl vs Stephen Sterl vs Steve

Or pick any two names to compare →

Related Names

Names with a similar number of total births

Vardaman
13 births · Peak 1911
Ahti
13 births · Peak 1914
Ohmer
13 births · Peak 1931
Downing
13 births · Peak 1915
Osmo
13 births · Peak 1915
Emary
13 births · Peak 1925
Hulin
13 births · Peak 1924
Benhart
13 births · Peak 1917

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Sterl: 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, 1921–1929 (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 Sterl 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.