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
Show data for
Peak · girls
1900 · 2,512 births
Debut · girls
569 births
In top 100 · girls
47 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
159,088
since 1880

Pearl over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201980peak #24, 1900girls
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#776350
2024#801351
2023#800351
2022#754382
2021#740385
2020#776351
2019#729387
2018#644460
2017#651455
2016#567549
2015#624461
2014#629454
2013#672424
2012#755368
2011#806335
2010#960267
2009#983269
2008#1,016259
2007#991269
2006#1,045245
2005#1,203190
2004#1,152196
2003#1,084203
2002#1,068199
2001#1,035208
2000#1,046200
1999#1,191162
1998#1,150164
1997#1,273138
1996#1,056175
1995#1,113159
1994#1,346124
1993#1,138156
1992#1,126157
1991#1,215142
1990#1,253131
1989#1,168140
1988#1,066148
1987#1,081141
1986#973162
1985#945165
1984#887169
1983#880172#6,2385
1982#824190
1981#846184
1980#900168#5,5256
1979#995143
1978#1,031132
1977#1,062123#4,5827
1976#917143#4,9356
1975#891148
1974#876148
1973#882142#4,5056
1972#804168#4,4416
1971#842163#3,3709
1970#840161
1969#876143#4,4045
1968#757172
1967#738175#2,7609
1966#701195#2,32712
1965#596259#2,9828
1964#587284#2,66510
1963#590284#3,3187
1962#509364
1961#524346#2,70610
1960#505372#3,3377
1959#518350#2,53011
1958#483388#2,26513
1957#447443#1,88718
1956#420468#2,01516
1955#405465#1,48327
1954#388492#1,95616
1953#375516#1,90017
1952#363516#2,25112
1951#347531#2,49510
1950#320588#1,74618
1949#323575#1,66720
1948#290690#1,70319
1947#293713#1,31631
1946#284677#1,50922
1945#265654#1,27027
1944#238756#1,23529
1943#223879#1,01843
1942#1911,092#1,03642
1941#211835#1,53220
1940#197907#1,25129
1939#197902#86750
1938#1891,005#95144
1937#1871,024#93245
1936#1721,120#98940
1935#1671,187#85853
1934#1541,338#1,05938
1933#1431,384#87550
1932#1381,618#98045
1931#1371,648#77565
1930#1212,069#78267
1929#1142,172#73473
1928#1102,367#70281
1927#1022,718#72680
1926#962,899#76571
1925#903,213#80168
1924#783,635#71685
1923#783,543#71183
1922#713,848#74878
1921#654,175#69886
1920#624,204#66791
1919#564,273#61298
1918#564,521#611101
1917#574,232#65084
1916#574,073#71570
1915#563,976#57697
1914#563,223#67357
1913#552,756#51370
1912#542,528#55253
1911#482,075#51433
1910#392,177#59823
1909#402,048#37141
1908#392,075#38936
1907#352,108#36637
1906#352,035#35534
1905#312,108#39329
1904#302,015#36830
1903#272,046#31236
1902#282,100#33135
1901#311,866#27738
1900#242,512#33741
1899#271,999#33129
1898#262,158#29839
1897#252,076#26344
1896#252,101#30637
1895#261,958#26645
1894#281,789#23155
1893#261,796#21962
1892#261,831#29239
1891#271,605#29731
1890#241,741#24348
1889#241,588#22950
1888#261,591#21269
1887#251,316#19164
1886#291,204#18273
1885#261,146#21257
1884#251,138#20962
1883#29886#20057
1882#33824#21558
1881#38641#21152
1880#47569#19662
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 1980

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedNHWashington: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedNDMinnesota: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedMNIllinois: #1,316 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 15,459 girlsILWisconsin: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedWIMichigan: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedMINew York: #461 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 3,221 girlsNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedSDIowa: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedIAIndiana: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedINOhio: #1,061 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 14,662 girlsOHPennsylvania: #890 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 11,493 girlsPANew Jersey: #824 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 7,441 girlsNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #699 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 5,603 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedUTColorado: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedCONebraska: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedNEMissouri: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedMOKentucky: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedWVVirginia: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedVAMaryland: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedDEArizona: #391 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 2,142 girlsAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedNMKansas: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedKSArkansas: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedARTennessee: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedTNNorth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedDCOklahoma: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedOKLouisiana: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedLAMississippi: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedMSAlabama: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedALGeorgia: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedHITexas: #729 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 5,994 girlsTXFlorida: fewer than 5 girls named Pearl, so not publishedFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Arizona#391 · 1 in 2,142
  2. New York#461 · 1 in 3,221
  3. California#699 · 1 in 5,603
  4. Texas#729 · 1 in 5,994
  5. New Jersey#824 · 1 in 7,441

Best ever in a state: #13 in Wyoming, 1910.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Arizona#39191 in 2,142
New York#461311 in 3,221
California#699311 in 5,603
Texas#729201 in 5,994
New Jersey#82451 in 7,441
Pennsylvania#89061 in 11,493
Ohio#1,06151 in 14,662
Illinois#1,31651 in 15,459
Alabama
Alaska
Arkansas
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Mexico
North Carolina
North Dakota
Oklahoma
Oregon
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
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
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s10,903#24 (1889)#30
1890s19,054#24 (1890)#26
1900s20,913#24 (1900)#32
1910s33,834#39 (1910)#53
1920s32,774#62 (1920)#87
1930s13,295#121 (1930)#161
1940s7,778#191 (1942)#252
1950s4,757#320 (1950)#407
1960s2,594#505 (1960)#638
1970s1,471#804 (1972)#914
1980s1,639#824 (1982)#957
1990s1,508#1,056 (1996)#1,186
2000s2,238#983 (2009)#1,062
2010s4,160#567 (2016)#704
2020s2,170#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 1980

girls
#900
168 births · 1 in 9,883 girls
boys
#5,525
6 births · 1 in 297,325 boys

Top girls' names in 1980

  1. #1Jennifer58,374
  2. #2Amanda35,811
  3. #3Jessica33,924
  4. #4Melissa31,629
  5. #5Sarah25,757
  6. #6Heather19,973
  7. #7Nicole19,917
  8. #8Amy19,833
  9. #9Elizabeth19,529
  10. #10Michelle19,119
  11. #900Pearl168

Top boys' names in 1980

  1. #1Michael68,683
  2. #2Christopher49,079
  3. #3Jason48,164
  4. #4David41,891
  5. #5James39,312
  6. #6Matthew37,834
  7. #7Joshua36,052
  8. #8John35,274
  9. #9Robert34,266
  10. #10Joseph30,185
  11. #5,525Pearl6
More about 1980

girls

1,660,307 girls got a published name in 1980; 1 in 9,883 of them was named Pearl, which outranked 92.6% of the 12,161 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Pearl
  1. #893Star170
  2. #898Elaina169
  3. #898Tyra169
  4. #900Pearl168
  5. #900Jeana168
  6. #902Chimere167
  7. #902Francisca167
  8. #902Leona167

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1979
Risers
  1. 1,510Renada#2,218#708
  2. 1,173Tai#2,112#939
  3. 1,036Anya#1,592#556
  4. 601Chimere#1,503#902
  5. 517Brynn#1,442#925
Fallers
  1. 529Marlana#989#1,518
  2. 494Kizzy#647#1,141
  3. 369January#748#1,117
  4. 361Carisa#836#1,197
  5. 328Latonia#841#1,169

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

boys

1,783,951 boys got a published name in 1980; 1 in 297,325 of them was named Pearl, which outranked 24.2% of the 7,293 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.6% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Pearl
  1. #4,940Zephaniah7
  2. #4,940Zubin7
  3. #4,940Zvi7
  4. #5,525Pearl6
  5. #5,525Aarion6
  6. #5,525Abdallah6
  7. #5,525Abdias6
  8. #6,250Abayomi5
  9. #6,250Abby5
  10. #6,250Abdo5

Tied with 724 names at #5,525; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1979
Risers
  1. 381Gideon#1,370#989
  2. 296Bo#864#568
  3. 270Anson#1,137#867
  4. 266Dustan#1,255#989
  5. 255Dusty#614#359
Fallers
  1. 366Harris#991#1,357
  2. 362Tracey#842#1,204
  3. 331Jevon#780#1,111
  4. 321Kennith#937#1,258
  5. 267Levar#644#911

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

See the top 100 for 1980