Karl
Karl is a Germanic masculine name.
- German
- Swedish
- Norwegian
- Danish
Meaning & Origin of Karl
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Karl is a Germanic masculine name.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- German
- Swedish
- Norwegian
- Danish
- Icelandic
- English
- Finnish
- Estonian
- Germanic
- Old Norse
The Story of Karl
The earliest SSA record of Karl as a baby boy name dates back to 1880, when 21 babies received it. 1960 was its biggest year on record, with 2,594 newborns named Karl — #135 in the national rankings. The 1960s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 21% of all recorded Karls. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,679 among baby boy names with 101 births, falling sharply (-18%). In total, more than 101K Karls have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Karl
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Karl. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Karl
Phonetically similar names — useful when Karl 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 Karl
What does the name Karl mean?
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How popular is Karl in 2026?
When was Karl most popular?
In which U.S. states is Karl most popular?
Is Karl a unisex name?
What names go well with Karl?
What are nicknames or variants of Karl?
About the name Karl
Karl is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 101K births in the dataset. Karl's peak popularity came in 1960 when it ranked #135. Use the chart and map above to compare Karl's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1960 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- 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.