Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1920

Beryl

Meaning little bear Gender Unisex · 81% girls Rank 2025 #11,101

From beryl or an anglicization of Yiddish בערל (berl, literally “little bear”).

Rank 2025
#11,101
among girls · ↑182 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
8
named Beryl
How common
1 in 200,908
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1920
379 babies
All-time total
12,468
#1,653 all-time among girls
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Beryl popularity over time

12,468 babies have been named Beryl since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.080.150.230.318801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s 163 – 163 16 – #399
1890s 374 27 401 40 +146% #414
1900s 687 59 746 75 +86% #383
1910s 1,806 476 2,282 228 +206% #376
1920s 2,256 620 2,876 288 +26% #374
1930s 1,558 495 2,053 205 -29% #429
1940s 1,253 335 1,588 159 -23% #613
1950s 1,128 166 1,294 129 -19% #710
1960s 416 119 535 54 -59% #1,386
1970s 109 25 134 13 -75% #3,555
1980s 105 16 121 12 -10% #4,490
1990s 91 – 91 9 -25% #6,506
2000s 46 – 46 5 -49% #8,634
2010s 95 – 95 10 +107% #7,911
2020s (to 2025) 43 – 43 7 -25% #10,385

The story of Beryl

Beryl is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #11,101 in 2025 with 8 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 12,468 American babies have been named Beryl, about 81% girls and 19% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1920, when 379 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1920s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Beryl stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Beryl?

The median living Beryl is about 74 years old; half are between 64 and 81. An estimated 3,600 people named Beryl are alive in the United States today.

median 74 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Beryl year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 8 #11,101 – –
2024 8 #11,283 – –
2023 9 #10,450 – –
2022 9 #10,527 – –
2021 – – – –
2020 9 #10,385 – –
2019 8 #11,536 – –
2018 9 #10,699 – –
2017 14 #7,911 – –
2016 9 #11,017 – –
2015 9 #11,030 – –
2014 14 #8,123 – –
2013 10 #10,379 – –
2012 12 #9,197 – –
2011 – – – –
2010 10 #10,553 – –
2009 – – – –
2008 5 #17,952 – –
2007 7 #14,152 – –
2006 – – – –
2005 9 #11,055 – –
2004 7 #12,959 – –
2003 7 #12,605 – –
2002 – – – –
2001 – – – –
2000 11 #8,634 – –
1995 12 #7,106 – –
1990 13 #6,506 – –
1985 7 #8,429 – –
1980 8 #7,483 – –
1975 10 #5,558 – –
1970 10 #5,085 5 #4,794
1965 34 #1,998 9 #2,800
1960 63 #1,386 14 #2,218
1955 111 #932 13 #2,225
1950 145 #710 28 #1,365
1945 100 #750 31 #1,185
1940 130 #613 32 #1,184
1935 117 #603 42 #980
1930 197 #477 54 #909
1925 200 #496 56 #903
1920 311 #374 68 #812
1915 211 #410 75 #672
1910 91 #413 8 #1,208
1905 78 #384 9 #843
1900 59 #431 – –
1895 40 #457 – –
1890 32 #462 5 #1,018
1885 12 #629 – –
1880 11 #519 – –

Famous people named Beryl

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Beryl Markham Beryl Markham British writer, aviator, adventurer, racehorse trainer (1902–1986) Contemporary
  2. 2 Beryl Bainbridge English writer (1932–2010) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Beryl, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Beryl?

The median living Beryl is about 74 years old. Half of all living Beryls are between 64 and 81 years old.

How many people named Beryl are alive today?

An estimated 3,600 people named Beryl are alive in the United States, based on 12,468 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Beryl mean?

From beryl or an anglicization of Yiddish בערל (berl, literally “little bear”).

How popular is the name Beryl in 2025?

Beryl ranked #11,101 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 8 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Beryl?

12,468 babies have been named Beryl in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Beryl most popular?

Beryl peaked in 1920, when 379 newborns received the name.

Is Beryl a boy or girl name?

Beryl is used for both: about 81% of babies named Beryl have been girls and 19% boys.

Is the name Beryl rising or falling?

Beryl is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Beryl?

Well-known people named Beryl include Beryl Markham (writer), Beryl Bainbridge (writer).

Names like Beryl

Names that sound and feel close to Beryl: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Beryl with similar names → More names starting with B →