Perl
Perl (פּערל) is a Yiddish feminine given name. Diminutive: Perele/Pereleh. The corresponding Hebrew names are Pnina and Margalit. The name gave rise to the Jewish matronymic surname Perlin.
Meaning & Origin of Perl
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Perl (פּערל) is a Yiddish feminine given name. Diminutive: Perele/Pereleh. The corresponding Hebrew names are Pnina and Margalit. The name gave rise to the Jewish matronymic surname Perlin.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Perl
As a girl name
Perl first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1929, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 35 Perls were born — ranking #4,111 that year. As of 2026, Perl ranks #4,708 for girls with 29 births, rising sharply (+21% over the past five years). In total, more than 640 Perls have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Perl first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1883, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1924, when 9 Perls were born — ranking #3,023 that year. As of 2026, Perl ranks #3,763 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 85 Perls 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 Perl
Phonetically similar names — useful when Perl 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 Perl
What does the name Perl mean?
How popular is Perl in 2026?
When was Perl most popular?
In which U.S. states is Perl most popular?
Is Perl a unisex name?
What names go well with Perl?
About the name Perl
Perl is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1929 and has accumulated 640 births in the dataset. Perl's peak popularity came in 2023 when it ranked #4,111. Use the chart and map above to compare Perl's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2023 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "P" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.