Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Berl isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1912. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Berl through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,094
- 1,089 boys · 5 girls
- Most popular year
- 1922
- 26 babies
- 2025
- 16
- #5,644 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −11%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 16 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 5,644 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 11.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (16). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 491 as a first name in 2020; 401 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Berl’s family of names
In Yiddish usage, Berl is a Roman-alphabet rendering of בערל.
The ring: spellings.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Berl
- Berl KatznelsonIsraeli labor Zionist intellectual (1887-1944)
- Berl LockerIsraeli politician (1887-1972)
- Berl Broderfamous Broder singer1815–1868
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Berl, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Earl
“a nobleman”
>99% boys
Boyd
“a blonde-haired man”
>99% boys
Bernard
“as strong and brave as a bear”
>99% boys
Burton
“from the fortified town”
>99% boys
Vergil
“the staff-bearer”
>99% boys
Ben
“son of the south; son of the right hand” · “one who is blessed”
>99% boys
Elroy
“a red-haired young man” · “a king”
>99% boys
Buck
“resembling a male deer”
>99% boys