Purlie
Purlie is a musical with a book by Ossie Davis, Philip Rose, and Peter Udell, lyrics by Udell and music by Gary Geld. It is based on Davis's 1961 play Purlie Victorious.
Meaning & Origin of Purlie
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Purlie is a musical with a book by Ossie Davis, Philip Rose, and Peter Udell, lyrics by Udell and music by Gary Geld. It is based on Davis's 1961 play Purlie Victorious.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Purlie
Purlie first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1928, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1928, when 5 Purlies were born — ranking #4,725 that year. As of 2026, Purlie ranks #4,725 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 5 Purlies have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Purlie
Phonetically similar names — useful when Purlie 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 Purlie
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About the name Purlie
Purlie is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1928 and has accumulated 5 births in the dataset. Purlie's peak popularity came in 1928 when it ranked #4,725. Use the chart and map above to compare Purlie's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1928 →
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- 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.