Burke
Burke is a Norman-Irish surname, deriving from the ancient Anglo-Norman and Hiberno-Norman noble dynasty, the House of Burgh. In Ireland, the descendants of William de Burgh had the surname de Burgh, which was gaelicised in Irish as de Búrca and over the centuries became Búrc, then Burke, and Bourke.
Meaning & Origin of Burke
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Burke is a Norman-Irish surname, deriving from the ancient Anglo-Norman and Hiberno-Norman noble dynasty, the House of Burgh. In Ireland, the descendants of William de Burgh had the surname de Burgh, which was gaelicised in Irish as de Búrca and over the centuries became Búrc, then Burke, and Bourke.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Burke
Burke first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1881, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2013, when 78 Burkes were born — ranking #1,827 that year. As of 2026, Burke ranks #3,481 for baby boys with 33 births, falling sharply (-32%). In total, more than 4K Burkes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Burke
Phonetically similar names — useful when Burke is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Burke
What does the name Burke mean?
How popular is Burke in 2026?
When was Burke most popular?
In which U.S. states is Burke most popular?
Is Burke a unisex name?
What names go well with Burke?
About the name Burke
Burke is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1881 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Burke's peak popularity came in 2013 when it ranked #781. Use the chart and map above to compare Burke's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2013 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "B" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.