Karl

Last seen for girls in 1993 at #8,719 · #1,585 for boys in 2025, 107 births
Given to boys 99.1% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1960 · 2,594 births
Debut · boys
21 births
In top 100 · boys
never
of 146 years
Total births · boys
100,836
since 1880

Karl over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Karl has never cracked the top 100 here.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201960peak #135, 1960boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025—#1,585107
2024—#1,68599
2023—#1,681101
2022—#1,425128
2021—#1,529115
2020—#1,568104
2019—#1,283145
2018—#1,282143
2017—#1,287141
2016—#1,149167
2015—#1,075184
2014—#1,147165
2013—#1,096169
2012—#1,135161
2011—#1,078173
2010—#1,086177
2009—#966207
2008—#1,019188
2007—#859242
2006—#769270
2005—#752265
2004—#695281
2003—#658300
2002—#608330
2001—#580351
2000—#564366
1999—#534390
1998—#481455
1997—#459483
1996—#446504
1995—#391598
1994—#381612
1993#8,7199#357662
1992—#336738
1991#11,5096#317811
1990#11,4096#295858
1989#5,83614#273908
1988#3,89323#274843
1987#3,74323#260853
1986#3,13529#248904
1985#2,93931#242961
1984#3,42324#244896
1983#2,91029#242911
1982#3,17227#240973
1981#3,14727#2261,062
1980#3,41124#2251,060
1979#3,66821#234956
1978#3,38822#232900
1977#3,08325#230941
1976#2,86526#234868
1975#2,88125#226904
1974#2,75726#2141,004
1973#2,34932#220985
1972#2,68026#1991,167
1971#2,95523#1911,323
1970#2,93823#1771,575
1969#2,05837#1801,565
1968#2,70822#1681,598
1967#2,21229#1591,695
1966#2,83919#1581,792
1965#2,83319#1542,019
1964#3,00018#1352,403
1963#2,54323#1362,513
1962#2,66821#1422,457
1961#3,06017#1382,543
1960#2,72920#1352,594
1959#2,67819#1482,354
1958#3,23214#1462,348
1957#5,3776#1462,338
1956#3,18614#1502,060
1955#4,7407#1491,935
1954—#1661,736
1953—#1631,653
1952—#1701,564
1951#4,3857#1751,439
1950—#1721,304
1949—#1721,321
1948—#1791,187
1947#4,7646#1841,119
1946—#185998
1945—#196758
1944—#186837
1943#4,6915#182907
1942#4,6225#179878
1941—#177864
1940—#174855
1939—#171866
1938—#162985
1937—#162907
1936#4,1815#165830
1935—#171812
1934#3,8026#186689
1933#4,2185#181681
1932—#193670
1931#3,4977#204635
1930#3,6587#206648
1929#3,6827#207637
1928#3,4368#219599
1927#3,5618#211630
1926—#226595
1925#4,0287#225589
1924#5,0615#232584
1923—#235565
1922—#246527
1921—#233573
1920—#245502
1919#3,8177#234515
1918—#209600
1917—#180673
1916#3,2588#176685
1915#3,7956#160715
1914—#161548
1913—#177387
1912—#182323
1911—#194156
1910—#25292
1909—#207102
1908—#20997
1907—#21389
1906—#169108
1905—#24165
1904—#23067
1903—#21270
1902—#22365
1901—#23554
1900—#23075
1899—#23849
1898—#23953
1897—#23257
1896—#23460
1895—#21167
1894—#19973
1893—#21563
1892—#22859
1891—#20261
1890—#24647
1889—#22950
1888—#20671
1887—#22449
1886—#24848
1885—#24844
1884—#29634
1883—#28433
1882—#27240
1881—#29629
1880—#37321
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Karl was already there! It came in at #373, and was given to 21 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1880–1881, when fewer than 30 boys a year got the name.

Where Karl is popular in 1960

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #81 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 321 boysAKMaine: #136 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 911 boysMEVermont: #73 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 388 boysVTNew Hampshire: #143 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 1,219 boysNHWashington: #105 for boys · 62 births · 1 in 499 boysWAIdaho: #100 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 415 boysIDMontana: #123 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 585 boysMTNorth Dakota: #186 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 1,230 boysNDMinnesota: #95 for boys · 72 births · 1 in 590 boysMNIllinois: #137 for boys · 144 births · 1 in 804 boysILWisconsin: #99 for boys · 72 births · 1 in 668 boysWIMichigan: #108 for boys · 155 births · 1 in 609 boysMINew York: #122 for boys · 225 births · 1 in 798 boysNYMassachusetts: #89 for boys · 77 births · 1 in 743 boysMARhode Island: #102 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 902 boysRIOregon: #135 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 753 boysORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Karl, so not publishedNVWyoming: #152 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 676 boysWYSouth Dakota: #157 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 980 boysSDIowa: #123 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 823 boysIAIndiana: #150 for boys · 52 births · 1 in 1,044 boysINOhio: #130 for boys · 135 births · 1 in 831 boysOHPennsylvania: #99 for boys · 202 births · 1 in 593 boysPANew Jersey: #99 for boys · 90 births · 1 in 690 boysNJConnecticut: #83 for boys · 45 births · 1 in 594 boysCTCalifornia: #139 for boys · 254 births · 1 in 732 boysCAUtah: #112 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 486 boysUTColorado: #137 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 688 boysCONebraska: #147 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 959 boysNEMissouri: #135 for boys · 64 births · 1 in 764 boysMOKentucky: #248 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 2,216 boysKYWest Virginia: #208 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 1,724 boysWVVirginia: #173 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 1,030 boysVAMaryland: #148 for boys · 35 births · 1 in 937 boysMDDelaware: #109 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 637 boysDEArizona: #143 for boys · 26 births · 1 in 653 boysAZNew Mexico: #110 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 443 boysNMKansas: #185 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 1,146 boysKSArkansas: #286 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 2,412 boysARTennessee: #218 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 1,579 boysTNNorth Carolina: #176 for boys · 49 births · 1 in 1,065 boysNCSouth Carolina: #199 for boys · 23 births · 1 in 1,233 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #153 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 876 boysDCOklahoma: #148 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 792 boysOKLouisiana: #119 for boys · 80 births · 1 in 527 boysLAMississippi: #208 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 1,222 boysMSAlabama: #231 for boys · 23 births · 1 in 1,644 boysALGeorgia: #208 for boys · 37 births · 1 in 1,304 boysGAHawaii: #110 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 404 boysHITexas: #187 for boys · 129 births · 1 in 951 boysTXFlorida: #157 for boys · 62 births · 1 in 884 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Vermont#73 · 1 in 388
  2. Alaska#81 · 1 in 321
  3. Connecticut#83 · 1 in 594
  4. Massachusetts#89 · 1 in 743
  5. Minnesota#95 · 1 in 590

Best ever in a state: #56 in Utah, 1941.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Vermont#73101 in 388
Alaska#81101 in 321
Connecticut#83451 in 594
Massachusetts#89771 in 743
Minnesota#95721 in 590
New Jersey#99901 in 690
Pennsylvania#992021 in 593
Wisconsin#99721 in 668
Idaho#100181 in 415
Rhode Island#102101 in 902
Washington#105621 in 499
Michigan#1081551 in 609
Delaware#10981 in 637
Hawaii#110181 in 404
New Mexico#110311 in 443
Utah#112251 in 486
Louisiana#119801 in 527
New York#1222251 in 798
Iowa#123381 in 823
Montana#123131 in 585
Ohio#1301351 in 831
Missouri#135641 in 764
Oregon#135241 in 753
Maine#136121 in 911
Colorado#137311 in 688
Illinois#1371441 in 804
California#1392541 in 732
Arizona#143261 in 653
New Hampshire#14351 in 1,219
Nebraska#147171 in 959
Maryland#148351 in 937
Oklahoma#148301 in 792
Indiana#150521 in 1,044
Wyoming#15251 in 676
District of Columbia#153171 in 876
Florida#157621 in 884
South Dakota#15781 in 980
Virginia#173411 in 1,030
North Carolina#176491 in 1,065
Kansas#185201 in 1,146
North Dakota#18661 in 1,230
Texas#1871291 in 951
South Carolina#199231 in 1,233
Georgia#208371 in 1,304
Mississippi#208221 in 1,222
West Virginia#208111 in 1,724
Tennessee#218251 in 1,579
Alabama#231231 in 1,644
Kentucky#248161 in 2,216
Arkansas#28681 in 2,412
Nevada———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Karl
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 100 spots since 2024 (#1,685 → #1,585)
  • 17 spots since 2020 (#1,568 → #1,585)
  • 510 spots since 2015 (#1,075 → #1,585)
  • Biggest jump: 77 spots in 1881 (#373 → #296)
  • Biggest drop: 160 spots in 2008 (#859 → #1,019)
Rise & fade · boys
80 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1960 at #135 (2,594 births)
  • Births halved by 1972, 12 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 1,000 for 129 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 129 yrs · run 1880–2007
Share of babies · boys
1 in 808
  • Highest: 1 in 808 boys born in 1963 were named Karl (0.12%)
  • Latest: 1 in 15,963 boys born in 2025 (0.01%)
  • Its best rank, #135 in 1960, was only 1 in 822 (0.12%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 1960s
  • 21.0% of all boys named Karl (21,179) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s419#206 (1888)#268
1890s589#199 (1894)#224
1900s792#169 (1906)#217
1910s4,694#160 (1915)#193
1920s5,801#207 (1929)#228
1930s7,723#162 (1938)#180
1940s9,724#172 (1949)#181
1950s18,731#146 (1958)#159
1960s21,179#135 (1960)#151
1970s10,623#177 (1970)#216
1980s9,371#225 (1980)#247
1990s6,111#295 (1990)#400
2000s2,800#564 (2000)#747
2010s1,625#1,075 (2015)#1,162
2020s654#1,425 (2022)#1,579

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Karl in 1960

girls
#2,729
20 births · 1 in 101,097 girls
boys
#135
2,594 births · 1 in 822 boys

Top girls' names in 1960

  1. #1Mary51,472
  2. #2Susan39,208
  3. #3Linda37,316
  4. #4Karen36,378
  5. #5Donna34,138
  6. #6Lisa33,693
  7. #7Patricia32,113
  8. #8Debra26,732
  9. #9Cynthia26,706
  10. #10Deborah25,266
  11. #2,729Karl20

Top boys' names in 1960

  1. #1David85,929
  2. #2Michael84,153
  3. #3James76,815
  4. #4John76,096
  5. #5Robert72,357
  6. #6Mark58,727
  7. #7William49,361
  8. #8Richard43,553
  9. #9Thomas39,278
  10. #10Steven33,878
  11. #135Karl2,594
More about 1960

girls

2,021,941 girls got a published name in 1960; 1 in 101,097 of them was named Karl, which outranked 62.8% of the 7,332 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Karl
  1. #2,649Verona21
  2. #2,649Viveca21
  3. #2,649Yulonda21
  4. #2,729Karl20
  5. #2,729Aaron20
  6. #2,729Abbey20
  7. #2,729Alethia20
  8. #2,820Adelia19
  9. #2,820Alix19
  10. #2,820Angele19

Tied with 90 names at #2,729; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1959
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,798Lisha#2,395 → #597
  2. ↑ 1,223Elana#2,108 → #885
  3. ↑ 667Leisha#1,537 → #870
  4. ↑ 513Misty#1,214 → #701
  5. ↑ 462Loriann#1,396 → #934
Fallers
  1. ↓ 421Taryn#771 → #1,192
  2. ↓ 335Cheryll#993 → #1,328
  3. ↓ 305Marilynn#724 → #1,029
  4. ↓ 304Drema#997 → #1,301
  5. ↓ 258Merrie#978 → #1,236

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

2,132,320 boys got a published name in 1960; 1 in 822 of them was named Karl, which outranked 97.1% of the 4,598 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 29.1% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Karl
  1. #132Norman2,700
  2. #133Jerome2,676
  3. #134Brad2,644
  4. #135Karl2,594
  5. #136Marc2,586
  6. #137Tracy2,581
  7. #138Rickey2,573
Biggest movers since 1959
Risers
  1. ↑ 3,061Stephon#3,988 → #927
  2. ↑ 1,039Kennedy#1,759 → #720
  3. ↑ 489Darryle#1,416 → #927
  4. ↑ 379Garret#1,360 → #981
  5. ↑ 373Darryll#1,324 → #951
Fallers
  1. ↓ 333Grayling#987 → #1,320
  2. ↓ 327Lucious#946 → #1,273
  3. ↓ 274Brion#919 → #1,193
  4. ↓ 261Gail#747 → #1,008
  5. ↓ 254Delton#939 → #1,193

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1960 →