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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201965peak #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 1965

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #92 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 372 boysAKMaine: #110 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 659 boysMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Karl, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: #118 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 814 boysNHWashington: #103 for boys · 46 births · 1 in 532 boysWAIdaho: #116 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 496 boysIDMontana: #160 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 838 boysMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Karl, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #102 for boys · 57 births · 1 in 591 boysMNIllinois: #129 for boys · 134 births · 1 in 737 boysILWisconsin: #92 for boys · 70 births · 1 in 569 boysWIMichigan: #113 for boys · 107 births · 1 in 746 boysMINew York: #131 for boys · 190 births · 1 in 860 boysNYMassachusetts: #92 for boys · 64 births · 1 in 798 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Karl, so not publishedRIOregon: #137 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 769 boysORNevada: #131 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 609 boysNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Karl, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: #160 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 867 boysSDIowa: #150 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 1,180 boysIAIndiana: #167 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 1,244 boysINOhio: #139 for boys · 99 births · 1 in 952 boysOHPennsylvania: #109 for boys · 132 births · 1 in 761 boysPANew Jersey: #136 for boys · 54 births · 1 in 1,080 boysNJConnecticut: #85 for boys · 43 births · 1 in 582 boysCTCalifornia: #159 for boys · 201 births · 1 in 870 boysCAUtah: #128 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 562 boysUTColorado: #131 for boys · 27 births · 1 in 667 boysCONebraska: #191 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 1,422 boysNEMissouri: #169 for boys · 36 births · 1 in 1,106 boysMOKentucky: #204 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 1,554 boysKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 boys named Karl, so not publishedWVVirginia: #201 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 1,393 boysVAMaryland: #141 for boys · 37 births · 1 in 837 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Karl, so not publishedDEArizona: #153 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 691 boysAZNew Mexico: #144 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 677 boysNMKansas: #137 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 791 boysKSArkansas: #243 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 1,697 boysARTennessee: #277 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 2,690 boysTNNorth Carolina: #228 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 1,519 boysNCSouth Carolina: #202 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 1,266 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #125 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 646 boysDCOklahoma: #144 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 772 boysOKLouisiana: #142 for boys · 54 births · 1 in 677 boysLAMississippi: #181 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 899 boysMSAlabama: #177 for boys · 32 births · 1 in 1,015 boysALGeorgia: #247 for boys · 27 births · 1 in 1,654 boysGAHawaii: #102 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 393 boysHITexas: #204 for boys · 96 births · 1 in 1,080 boysTXFlorida: #150 for boys · 62 births · 1 in 799 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Connecticut#85 · 1 in 582
  2. Alaska#92 · 1 in 372
  3. Wisconsin#92 · 1 in 569
  4. Massachusetts#92 · 1 in 798
  5. Hawaii#102 · 1 in 393

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Connecticut#85431 in 582
Alaska#9281 in 372
Massachusetts#92641 in 798
Wisconsin#92701 in 569
Hawaii#102171 in 393
Minnesota#102571 in 591
Washington#103461 in 532
Pennsylvania#1091321 in 761
Maine#110141 in 659
Michigan#1131071 in 746
Idaho#116111 in 496
New Hampshire#11871 in 814
District of Columbia#125201 in 646
Utah#128181 in 562
Illinois#1291341 in 737
Colorado#131271 in 667
Nevada#13161 in 609
New York#1311901 in 860
New Jersey#136541 in 1,080
Kansas#137221 in 791
Oregon#137201 in 769
Ohio#139991 in 952
Maryland#141371 in 837
Louisiana#142541 in 677
New Mexico#144161 in 677
Oklahoma#144251 in 772
Florida#150621 in 799
Iowa#150211 in 1,180
Arizona#153221 in 691
California#1592011 in 870
Montana#16071 in 838
South Dakota#16071 in 867
Indiana#167381 in 1,244
Missouri#169361 in 1,106
Alabama#177321 in 1,015
Mississippi#181251 in 899
Nebraska#19191 in 1,422
Virginia#201281 in 1,393
South Carolina#202191 in 1,266
Kentucky#204191 in 1,554
Texas#204961 in 1,080
North Carolina#228301 in 1,519
Arkansas#243101 in 1,697
Georgia#247271 in 1,654
Tennessee#277131 in 2,690
Delaware———
North Dakota———
Rhode Island———
Vermont———
West Virginia———
Wyoming———

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 1965

girls
#2,833
19 births · 1 in 92,903 girls
boys
#154
2,019 births · 1 in 921 boys

Top girls' names in 1965

  1. #1Lisa60,271
  2. #2Mary34,270
  3. #3Karen32,869
  4. #4Kimberly28,836
  5. #5Susan26,321
  6. #6Patricia23,552
  7. #7Donna19,700
  8. #8Linda19,345
  9. #9Cynthia19,239
  10. #10Angela18,754
  11. #2,833Karl19

Top boys' names in 1965

  1. #1Michael80,992
  2. #2John71,493
  3. #3David67,825
  4. #4James67,666
  5. #5Robert63,106
  6. #6William40,111
  7. #7Mark38,244
  8. #8Richard36,817
  9. #9Thomas31,595
  10. #10Jeffrey29,574
  11. #154Karl2,019
More about 1965

girls

1,765,164 girls got a published name in 1965; 1 in 92,903 of them was named Karl, which outranked 62.4% of the 7,535 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Karl
  1. #2,744Vernette20
  2. #2,744Wanita20
  3. #2,744Wayne20
  4. #2,833Karl19
  5. #2,833Abbey19
  6. #2,833Adell19
  7. #2,833Aisha19
  8. #2,938Adelaide18
  9. #2,938Adelia18
  10. #2,938Andera18

Tied with 104 names at #2,833; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1964
Risers
  1. ↑ 723Marni#1,610 → #887
  2. ↑ 654Dionne#1,281 → #627
  3. ↑ 432Marnie#1,016 → #584
  4. ↑ 426Keli#1,383 → #957
  5. ↑ 368Gia#1,334 → #966
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,326Djuna#738 → #2,064
  2. ↓ 470Djuana#756 → #1,226
  3. ↓ 383Shirl#714 → #1,097
  4. ↓ 297Beverley#955 → #1,252
  5. ↓ 275Dottie#912 → #1,187

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

boys

1,860,143 boys got a published name in 1965; 1 in 921 of them was named Karl, which outranked 96.5% of the 4,425 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 28.4% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Karl
  1. #151Bill2,060
  2. #152Kirk2,057
  3. #153Calvin2,045
  4. #154Karl2,019
  5. #155Dan1,992
  6. #156Earl1,949
  7. #157Don1,907
Biggest movers since 1964
Risers
  1. ↑ 785Trace#1,655 → #870
  2. ↑ 729Darran#1,729 → #1,000
  3. ↑ 655Daryn#1,371 → #716
  4. ↑ 648Darian#1,545 → #897
  5. ↑ 512Darryn#1,327 → #815
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,557Jaimie#809 → #2,366
  2. ↓ 443Tammy#875 → #1,318
  3. ↓ 406Destry#637 → #1,043
  4. ↓ 318Dewitt#936 → #1,254
  5. ↓ 303Cassius#860 → #1,163

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

See the top 100 for 1965 →