Pearl
#776 for girls in 2025, 350 births · Last seen for boys in 1983 at #6,238
Given to girls 97.6% of the time
Showing
- Peak · girls
- 1900 · 2,512 births
- Debut · girls
- 569 births
- In top 100 · girls
- 47 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · girls
- 159,088since 1880
Pearl over time
girls
Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.
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
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #776 | 350 | — | |
| 2024 | #801 | 351 | — | |
| 2023 | #800 | 351 | — | |
| 2022 | #754 | 382 | — | |
| 2021 | #740 | 385 | — | |
| 2020 | #776 | 351 | — | |
| 2019 | #729 | 387 | — | |
| 2018 | #644 | 460 | — | |
| 2017 | #651 | 455 | — | |
| 2016 | #567 | 549 | — | |
| 2015 | #624 | 461 | — | |
| 2014 | #629 | 454 | — | |
| 2013 | #672 | 424 | — | |
| 2012 | #755 | 368 | — | |
| 2011 | #806 | 335 | — | |
| 2010 | #960 | 267 | — | |
| 2009 | #983 | 269 | — | |
| 2008 | #1,016 | 259 | — | |
| 2007 | #991 | 269 | — | |
| 2006 | #1,045 | 245 | — | |
| 2005 | #1,203 | 190 | — | |
| 2004 | #1,152 | 196 | — | |
| 2003 | #1,084 | 203 | — | |
| 2002 | #1,068 | 199 | — | |
| 2001 | #1,035 | 208 | — | |
| 2000 | #1,046 | 200 | — | |
| 1999 | #1,191 | 162 | — | |
| 1998 | #1,150 | 164 | — | |
| 1997 | #1,273 | 138 | — | |
| 1996 | #1,056 | 175 | — | |
| 1995 | #1,113 | 159 | — | |
| 1994 | #1,346 | 124 | — | |
| 1993 | #1,138 | 156 | — | |
| 1992 | #1,126 | 157 | — | |
| 1991 | #1,215 | 142 | — | |
| 1990 | #1,253 | 131 | — | |
| 1989 | #1,168 | 140 | — | |
| 1988 | #1,066 | 148 | — | |
| 1987 | #1,081 | 141 | — | |
| 1986 | #973 | 162 | — | |
| 1985 | #945 | 165 | — | |
| 1984 | #887 | 169 | — | |
| 1983 | #880 | 172 | #6,238 | 5 |
| 1982 | #824 | 190 | — | |
| 1981 | #846 | 184 | — | |
| 1980 | #900 | 168 | #5,525 | 6 |
| 1979 | #995 | 143 | — | |
| 1978 | #1,031 | 132 | — | |
| 1977 | #1,062 | 123 | #4,582 | 7 |
| 1976 | #917 | 143 | #4,935 | 6 |
| 1975 | #891 | 148 | — | |
| 1974 | #876 | 148 | — | |
| 1973 | #882 | 142 | #4,505 | 6 |
| 1972 | #804 | 168 | #4,441 | 6 |
| 1971 | #842 | 163 | #3,370 | 9 |
| 1970 | #840 | 161 | — | |
| 1969 | #876 | 143 | #4,404 | 5 |
| 1968 | #757 | 172 | — | |
| 1967 | #738 | 175 | #2,760 | 9 |
| 1966 | #701 | 195 | #2,327 | 12 |
| 1965 | #596 | 259 | #2,982 | 8 |
| 1964 | #587 | 284 | #2,665 | 10 |
| 1963 | #590 | 284 | #3,318 | 7 |
| 1962 | #509 | 364 | — | |
| 1961 | #524 | 346 | #2,706 | 10 |
| 1960 | #505 | 372 | #3,337 | 7 |
| 1959 | #518 | 350 | #2,530 | 11 |
| 1958 | #483 | 388 | #2,265 | 13 |
| 1957 | #447 | 443 | #1,887 | 18 |
| 1956 | #420 | 468 | #2,015 | 16 |
| 1955 | #405 | 465 | #1,483 | 27 |
| 1954 | #388 | 492 | #1,956 | 16 |
| 1953 | #375 | 516 | #1,900 | 17 |
| 1952 | #363 | 516 | #2,251 | 12 |
| 1951 | #347 | 531 | #2,495 | 10 |
| 1950 | #320 | 588 | #1,746 | 18 |
| 1949 | #323 | 575 | #1,667 | 20 |
| 1948 | #290 | 690 | #1,703 | 19 |
| 1947 | #293 | 713 | #1,316 | 31 |
| 1946 | #284 | 677 | #1,509 | 22 |
| 1945 | #265 | 654 | #1,270 | 27 |
| 1944 | #238 | 756 | #1,235 | 29 |
| 1943 | #223 | 879 | #1,018 | 43 |
| 1942 | #191 | 1,092 | #1,036 | 42 |
| 1941 | #211 | 835 | #1,532 | 20 |
| 1940 | #197 | 907 | #1,251 | 29 |
| 1939 | #197 | 902 | #867 | 50 |
| 1938 | #189 | 1,005 | #951 | 44 |
| 1937 | #187 | 1,024 | #932 | 45 |
| 1936 | #172 | 1,120 | #989 | 40 |
| 1935 | #167 | 1,187 | #858 | 53 |
| 1934 | #154 | 1,338 | #1,059 | 38 |
| 1933 | #143 | 1,384 | #875 | 50 |
| 1932 | #138 | 1,618 | #980 | 45 |
| 1931 | #137 | 1,648 | #775 | 65 |
| 1930 | #121 | 2,069 | #782 | 67 |
| 1929 | #114 | 2,172 | #734 | 73 |
| 1928 | #110 | 2,367 | #702 | 81 |
| 1927 | #102 | 2,718 | #726 | 80 |
| 1926 | #96 | 2,899 | #765 | 71 |
| 1925 | #90 | 3,213 | #801 | 68 |
| 1924 | #78 | 3,635 | #716 | 85 |
| 1923 | #78 | 3,543 | #711 | 83 |
| 1922 | #71 | 3,848 | #748 | 78 |
| 1921 | #65 | 4,175 | #698 | 86 |
| 1920 | #62 | 4,204 | #667 | 91 |
| 1919 | #56 | 4,273 | #612 | 98 |
| 1918 | #56 | 4,521 | #611 | 101 |
| 1917 | #57 | 4,232 | #650 | 84 |
| 1916 | #57 | 4,073 | #715 | 70 |
| 1915 | #56 | 3,976 | #576 | 97 |
| 1914 | #56 | 3,223 | #673 | 57 |
| 1913 | #55 | 2,756 | #513 | 70 |
| 1912 | #54 | 2,528 | #552 | 53 |
| 1911 | #48 | 2,075 | #514 | 33 |
| 1910 | #39 | 2,177 | #598 | 23 |
| 1909 | #40 | 2,048 | #371 | 41 |
| 1908 | #39 | 2,075 | #389 | 36 |
| 1907 | #35 | 2,108 | #366 | 37 |
| 1906 | #35 | 2,035 | #355 | 34 |
| 1905 | #31 | 2,108 | #393 | 29 |
| 1904 | #30 | 2,015 | #368 | 30 |
| 1903 | #27 | 2,046 | #312 | 36 |
| 1902 | #28 | 2,100 | #331 | 35 |
| 1901 | #31 | 1,866 | #277 | 38 |
| 1900 | #24 | 2,512 | #337 | 41 |
| 1899 | #27 | 1,999 | #331 | 29 |
| 1898 | #26 | 2,158 | #298 | 39 |
| 1897 | #25 | 2,076 | #263 | 44 |
| 1896 | #25 | 2,101 | #306 | 37 |
| 1895 | #26 | 1,958 | #266 | 45 |
| 1894 | #28 | 1,789 | #231 | 55 |
| 1893 | #26 | 1,796 | #219 | 62 |
| 1892 | #26 | 1,831 | #292 | 39 |
| 1891 | #27 | 1,605 | #297 | 31 |
| 1890 | #24 | 1,741 | #243 | 48 |
| 1889 | #24 | 1,588 | #229 | 50 |
| 1888 | #26 | 1,591 | #212 | 69 |
| 1887 | #25 | 1,316 | #191 | 64 |
| 1886 | #29 | 1,204 | #182 | 73 |
| 1885 | #26 | 1,146 | #212 | 57 |
| 1884 | #25 | 1,138 | #209 | 62 |
| 1883 | #29 | 886 | #200 | 57 |
| 1882 | #33 | 824 | #215 | 58 |
| 1881 | #38 | 641 | #211 | 52 |
| 1880 | #47 | 569 | #196 | 62 |
First appearance
1880
In the first year the SSA published name data, Pearl was already there! It came in at #47, and was given to 569 baby girls.
Quietest stretch: 1967–1981, when fewer than 190 girls a year got the name.
Where Pearl is popular in 1928
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · girls
- West Virginia#56 · 1 in 247
- New Hampshire#65 · 1 in 222
- Hawaii#65 · 1 in 252
- Louisiana#70 · 1 in 267
- Delaware#73 · 1 in 252
Best ever in a state: #13 in Wyoming, 1910.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | #56 | 79 | 1 in 247 |
| Hawaii | #65 | 14 | 1 in 252 |
| New Hampshire | #65 | 15 | 1 in 222 |
| Louisiana | #70 | 81 | 1 in 267 |
| Delaware | #73 | 6 | 1 in 252 |
| Montana | #77 | 14 | 1 in 271 |
| South Carolina | #81 | 67 | 1 in 314 |
| Florida | #82 | 44 | 1 in 311 |
| North Dakota | #82 | 24 | 1 in 263 |
| New York | #84 | 285 | 1 in 347 |
| Pennsylvania | #86 | 219 | 1 in 400 |
| North Carolina | #87 | 111 | 1 in 344 |
| Idaho | #88 | 11 | 1 in 319 |
| Tennessee | #88 | 73 | 1 in 368 |
| Maryland | #91 | 38 | 1 in 352 |
| Colorado | #92 | 24 | 1 in 350 |
| Virginia | #93 | 74 | 1 in 338 |
| Washington | #95 | 25 | 1 in 373 |
| Minnesota | #96 | 53 | 1 in 385 |
| District of Columbia | #100 | 7 | 1 in 497 |
| Wisconsin | #102 | 51 | 1 in 473 |
| Connecticut | #104 | 23 | 1 in 511 |
| Illinois | #106 | 110 | 1 in 521 |
| Kentucky | #106 | 62 | 1 in 448 |
| Oregon | #107 | 12 | 1 in 463 |
| Maine | #109 | 16 | 1 in 404 |
| Michigan | #110 | 68 | 1 in 606 |
| Massachusetts | #111 | 57 | 1 in 586 |
| Arkansas | #113 | 40 | 1 in 463 |
| Missouri | #115 | 57 | 1 in 502 |
| New Jersey | #115 | 59 | 1 in 510 |
| Ohio | #117 | 87 | 1 in 608 |
| Rhode Island | #118 | 9 | 1 in 573 |
| Mississippi | #119 | 50 | 1 in 448 |
| Kansas | #120 | 28 | 1 in 505 |
| South Dakota | #121 | 11 | 1 in 506 |
| Iowa | #122 | 30 | 1 in 628 |
| Utah | #122 | 10 | 1 in 457 |
| Oklahoma | #123 | 45 | 1 in 524 |
| California | #136 | 58 | 1 in 634 |
| Georgia | #145 | 50 | 1 in 628 |
| Nebraska | #154 | 13 | 1 in 867 |
| Arizona | #156 | 7 | 1 in 565 |
| Alabama | #159 | 43 | 1 in 724 |
| Indiana | #174 | 21 | 1 in 1,204 |
| Texas | #186 | 71 | 1 in 848 |
| New Mexico | #190 | 6 | 1 in 714 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls 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 Pearl
Momentum · girls
Holding steady
- 25 spots since 2024 (#801 → #776)
- Same as 2020 (#776)
- 152 spots since 2015 (#624 → #776)
- Biggest jump: 154 spots in 2011 (#960 → #806)
- Biggest drop: 145 spots in 1977 (#917 → #1,062)
Rise & fade · girls
20 yrs to peak
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1900 at #24 (2,512 births)
- Births halved by 1935, 35 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 100 for 47 yrs
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: 47 yrs · run 1880–1926
- Top 1,000: 123 yrs · run 1880–1976
Share of babies · girls
1 in 109
- Highest: 1 in 109 girls born in 1890 were named Pearl (0.91%)
- Latest: 1 in 4,592 girls born in 2025 (0.02%)
- Its best rank, #24 in 1900, was only 1 in 119 (0.84%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · girls
The 1910s
- 21.3% of all girls named Pearl (33,834) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 10,903 | #24 (1889) | #30 |
| 1890s | 19,054 | #24 (1890) | #26 |
| 1900s | 20,913 | #24 (1900) | #32 |
| 1910s | 33,834 | #39 (1910) | #53 |
| 1920s | 32,774 | #62 (1920) | #87 |
| 1930s | 13,295 | #121 (1930) | #161 |
| 1940s | 7,778 | #191 (1942) | #252 |
| 1950s | 4,757 | #320 (1950) | #407 |
| 1960s | 2,594 | #505 (1960) | #638 |
| 1970s | 1,471 | #804 (1972) | #914 |
| 1980s | 1,639 | #824 (1982) | #957 |
| 1990s | 1,508 | #1,056 (1996) | #1,186 |
| 2000s | 2,238 | #983 (2009) | #1,062 |
| 2010s | 4,160 | #567 (2016) | #704 |
| 2020s | 2,170 | #740 (2021) | #775 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Pearl in 1928
girls
#110
2,367 births · 1 in 487 girls
boys
#702
81 births · 1 in 13,674 boys
Top girls' names in 1928
Top boys' names in 1928
More about 1928
girls
1,153,318 girls got a published name in 1928; 1 in 487 of them was named Pearl, which outranked 98.0% of the 5,440 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.4% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Ranked beside Pearl
Biggest movers since 1927
Risers
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,107,613 boys got a published name in 1928; 1 in 13,674 of them was named Pearl, which outranked 85.1% of the 4,723 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.2% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).