How Many People Are Named Earl?
Complete statistics for the name Earl: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.
Earl means noble leader, a fitting title for such a rare name, just 1 in 3,693 Americans have it. That's around 89,352 people today, making it quite exclusive. With 89% over 60, it's clear this name belongs to an older generation.
📖 Meaning & Origin
Life-path number 9 symbolizes humanitarianism and spiritual enlightenment.
🌍 Worldwide Usage
⚥ Gender Distribution
📊 Births by Age Group
Avg Cohort Age: 89All 291,020 recorded US births for this name, grouped by the age those individuals would be today. Not adjusted for survival, so the number living today is lower (see the living estimate above).
📈 Popularity Over Time
Peak: 1921Annual US births from SSA records · Trend: Declining
🏆 Name Scorecard
Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency
📜 Earl Through the Generations
Throughout the decades, Earl has seen its peak in 1921 with 6,797 births, but now it's declining, becoming more of a classic, old-school name. Today, there are 89,352 people named Earl in the US, with most over 60 years old. The age distribution shows 4,242 under 30, 28,785 aged 30-60, and 257,993 over 60, indicating a strong skew towards older generations.
📍 State Distribution (Top 10)
⭐ Famous People Named Earl
Earl is an English given name, predominantly popular in North America, meaning "warrior" or "nobleman" and derived from the rank of nobility of the same name. Instances of its use as a given name date back to 12th-century England. Some of the holders of this name are:Earl Abell (1892–1956), American football player Earl E. Anderson (1919–2015), American general Earl Anthony (1938–2001), American professional bowler Earl Armstrong (1900–1986), Canadian politician Earl I. Anzai (1941–2023), American politician Earl Averill (1902–1983), professional baseball player Earl Edwin Austin, American cri…
Full list on Wikipedia →🌿 Related Names by Origin
Other names sharing Earl's Old English roots
📄 About the Name Earl
How Many People Have the Name Earl?
Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 15,377 people in the United States currently share the name Earl. That works out to roughly 1 in every 21,555 Americans, placing it in the Rare category.
Is Earl a Common or Rare Name?
Earl is classified as Rare. The rarity scale runs from Very Common (shared by millions) through Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare. Understanding where a name sits helps parents gauge uniqueness, genealogists narrow down records, and individuals settle debates about their own name's distinctiveness.
What Does the Name Earl Mean?
Earl means "noble leader" and comes from Old English origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 9.
Gender Breakdown
Of all recorded bearers of Earl in SSA data, approximately 99% are male and 1% are female.
When Was Earl Most Popular?
The name Earl reached peak popularity in 1921, with 6,797 babies registered that year. Current trend: Declining.
How Is This Data Calculated?
All figures are statistical estimates, not exact government headcounts. The underlying data comes from the SSA National Baby Names dataset. Full methodology is explained on the methodology page.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How many people are named Earl?
Approximately 15,377 people named Earl live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 15,377. That works out to roughly 1 in 21,555 Americans.
Is Earl a rare name?
Earl is classified as Rare in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 21,555 Americans has this name.
What does the name Earl mean?
Earl means "noble leader" and comes from Old English origins.
Is Earl more male or female?
Based on SSA records, 99% of people named Earl are male and 1% are female.
When was Earl most popular?
Earl peaked in 1921 with 6,797 births that year. Current trend: Declining.
How accurate are these statistics?
All figures are statistical estimates based on SSA birth records and age-adjusted modeling. See the methodology page for full details.