Soul
In religion and philosophy, the soul is the immaterial aspect or essence of a living being. It is typically believed to be immortal and to exist apart from the material world. Anthropologists and psychologists have found that most humans believe in the existence of a soul or spirit, and that they have cross-culturally distinguished between soul and body, and there is also the mind.
Meaning & Origin of Soul
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
In religion and philosophy, the soul is the immaterial aspect or essence of a living being. It is typically believed to be immortal and to exist apart from the material world. Anthropologists and psychologists have found that most humans believe in the existence of a soul or spirit, and that they have cross-culturally distinguished between soul and body, and there is also the mind.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Etymology
The Story of Soul
As a girl name
Soul first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2002, with 7 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2026: 53 births, good for #3,075 nationwide. About 81% of every Soul on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Soul ranks #3,075 for girls with 53 births, rising sharply (+125% over the past five years). All told, over 388 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2000s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
Soul first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 2000, with 6 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2026: 66 births, good for #2,229 nationwide. About 71% of every Soul on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Soul ranks #2,229 for boys with 66 births, rising sharply (+132% over the past five years). All told, over 531 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2000s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Soul
Phonetically similar names — useful when Soul 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 Soul
What does the name Soul mean?
How popular is Soul in 2026?
When was Soul most popular?
In which U.S. states is Soul most popular?
Is Soul a unisex name?
What names go well with Soul?
About the name Soul
Soul is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2000 and has accumulated 531 births in the dataset. Soul's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #2,229. Use the chart and map above to compare Soul's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all boy 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.