Karl
From German and North Germanic (Scandinavian) Karl, from Germanic.
Every Karl since 1880 — 101,751 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Karl
Karl is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,593 in 2025 with 107 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 101,751 American babies have been named Karl. Its peak came in 1960, when 2,614 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
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 Karl stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Karl 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 | — | — | 107 | #1,593 |
| 2024 | — | — | 99 | #1,693 |
| 2023 | — | — | 101 | #1,688 |
| 2022 | — | — | 128 | #1,430 |
| 2021 | — | — | 115 | #1,535 |
| 2020 | — | — | 104 | #1,570 |
| 2019 | — | — | 145 | #1,285 |
| 2018 | — | — | 143 | #1,288 |
| 2017 | — | — | 141 | #1,289 |
| 2016 | — | — | 167 | #1,152 |
| 2015 | — | — | 184 | #1,075 |
| 2014 | — | — | 165 | #1,148 |
| 2013 | — | — | 169 | #1,099 |
| 2012 | — | — | 161 | #1,139 |
| 2011 | — | — | 173 | #1,079 |
| 2010 | — | — | 177 | #1,089 |
| 2009 | — | — | 207 | #967 |
| 2008 | — | — | 188 | #1,020 |
| 2007 | — | — | 242 | #860 |
| 2006 | — | — | 270 | #771 |
| 2005 | — | — | 265 | #752 |
| 2004 | — | — | 281 | #695 |
| 2003 | — | — | 300 | #660 |
| 2002 | — | — | 330 | #609 |
| 2001 | — | — | 351 | #580 |
| 2000 | — | — | 366 | #564 |
| 1995 | — | — | 598 | #392 |
| 1990 | 6 | #12,057 | 858 | #295 |
| 1985 | 31 | #2,971 | 961 | #242 |
| 1980 | 24 | #3,452 | 1,060 | #225 |
| 1975 | 25 | #2,910 | 904 | #226 |
| 1970 | 23 | #2,980 | 1,575 | #177 |
| 1965 | 19 | #2,874 | 2,019 | #154 |
| 1960 | 20 | #2,773 | 2,594 | #135 |
| 1955 | 7 | #4,946 | 1,935 | #149 |
| 1950 | — | — | 1,304 | #172 |
| 1945 | — | — | 758 | #197 |
| 1940 | — | — | 855 | #174 |
| 1935 | — | — | 812 | #171 |
| 1930 | 7 | #3,860 | 648 | #206 |
| 1925 | 7 | #4,220 | 589 | #225 |
| 1920 | — | — | 502 | #245 |
| 1915 | 6 | #4,012 | 715 | #160 |
| 1910 | — | — | 92 | #252 |
| 1905 | — | — | 65 | #243 |
| 1900 | — | — | 75 | #231 |
| 1895 | — | — | 67 | #211 |
| 1890 | — | — | 47 | #248 |
| 1885 | — | — | 44 | #249 |
| 1880 | — | — | 21 | #377 |
Famous people named Karl
- Karl Marx Economist · 1818–1883
- Karl Dönitz Military personnel · 1891–1980
- Karl Benz Inventor · 1844–1929
- Karl Popper Philosopher · 1902–1994
- Karl Lagerfeld Fashion designer · 1933–2019
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Karl mean?
From German and North Germanic (Scandinavian) Karl, from Germanic.
How popular is the name Karl in 2025?
Karl ranked #1,593 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 107 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Karl?
101,751 babies have been named Karl in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Karl most popular?
Karl peaked in 1960, when 2,614 newborns received the name.
Is Karl a boy or girl name?
Karl is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Karl rising or falling?
Karl is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Karl?
Well-known people named Karl include Karl Marx (economist), Karl Dönitz (military personnel), Karl Benz (inventor).