Pearl

Did you know?

A few things about Pearl you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Pearl

Pearl S. Buck

American writer (1892–1973)

Choose Pearl and your child shares a first name with Pearl S. Buck, an American writer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Pearl, like who?” Pearl S. Buck's Wikipedia article is available in 142 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Pearl S. Buck on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Unknown (see print without name, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 4,591 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Pearl, 350 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Pearl would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryPearl has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Pearls, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1900, when it ranked #24. Today it's #776, so it could be due a comeback.
• 📍Where it's lovedPearl is most popular in Idaho, where it ranks #277, followed by New York (#295) and New Jersey (#447). It's in the top 1,000 in 20 states.
• 💬MeaningIn English, Pearl means “pearl”. Our records link it to English and Latin roots.

About the name Pearl

Pearl is a girl name of English and Latin origin meaning “pearl”. It has 5 letters and 1 syllable, starting with P and ending in “-arl”. US birth records list Pearl for girls from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1900, when it ranked #24 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #776, with 350 babies.

Origin:English namesLatin names