Boy · #10,889 in 2026

Burl

Burl is the given name of:Burl Barer, American author and literary historian best known for his work on the character of Simon Templar, aka "the Saint" Burl Cain, warden of Louisiana State Penitentiary Burl Jaybird Coleman (1896–1950), American country blues harmonica player, guitarist and singer Burl Ives (1909–1995), American actor, folk music singer and writer Burl Osborne, American reporter…

Current Rank
#10,889
Peak Rank
#418 (1921)
Total Babies
7K
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1924
First Year
1929
Last Year
1928
Peak Year
#3436
Peak Rank
19
Total Count
3
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Burl

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Burl is the given name of:Burl Barer, American author and literary historian best known for his work on the character of Simon Templar, aka "the Saint" Burl Cain, warden of Louisiana State Penitentiary Burl Jaybird Coleman (1896–1950), American country blues harmonica player, guitarist and singer Burl Ives (1909–1995), American actor, folk music singer and writer Burl Osborne, American reporter…

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Burl

Burl first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 14 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1921, when 211 Burls were born — ranking #418 that year. As of 2026, Burl ranks #10,889 for baby boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 7K Burls have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Burl

Phonetically similar names — useful when Burl 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 Burl

What does the name Burl mean?
Burl is the given name of:Burl Barer, American author and literary historian best known for his work on the character of Simon Templar, aka "the Saint" Burl Cain, warden of Louisiana State Penitentiary Burl Jaybird Coleman (1896–1950), American country blues harmonica player, guitarist and singer Burl Ives (1909–1995), American actor, folk music singer and writer Burl Osborne, American reporter…
How popular is Burl in 2026?
In 2026, Burl ranks #10,889 among boys' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Burl most popular?
Burl reached its peak popularity in 1921, ranking #418 that year with 211 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Burl most popular?
Burl has historically been most popular in Arkansas, Oklahoma, West Virginia. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Burl.
Is Burl a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Burl is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Burl?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Burl include Kyson, Jamarion, Kasen. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

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About the name Burl

Burl is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 7K births in the dataset. Burl's peak popularity came in 1921 when it ranked #418. Use the chart and map above to compare Burl's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.