Earle
Primarily a boy's name with 11,505 recorded births. Also given to 285 girls.
Meaning & Origin
A surname originating as an occupation, variant of Earl.
Earle is a boy's and girl's baby name of Old English origin, a variant of Earl, from the Old English eorl, meaning 'nobleman, warrior, chieftain.' The -e ending was used to give the name a more refined, surname-like appearance.
Earle was used primarily in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Jazz musician Earle Hines (Fatha Hines) helped give the name an artistic association, and it carries the quiet gravitas of old American naming conventions.
EtymologyShow more
Names travel. They cross oceans, change spelling, shift pronunciation, and accumulate new associations with each culture that adopts them. Earle does not map cleanly to a single linguistic tradition in our records, which often indicates a name that has crossed cultural boundaries, been adapted between languages, or emerged from the blending that defines American naming.
With 11,505 recorded U.S. births, Earle has clearly resonated across communities. Names that reach this level of adoption typically carry a sound that works in multiple accents and cultural contexts — a kind of phonetic universality.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Earle has 127+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1880.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 11 | #11952 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 41 | #9632 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 92 | #6323 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 208 | #2603 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 328 | #1631 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 567 | #1007 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 1,027 | #724 | ▼ |
| 1940s | 1,345 | #543 | ▼ |
| 1930s | 1,627 | #450 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 2,805 | #350 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 2,210 | #306 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 430 | #314 | ▼ |
| 1890s | 479 | #253 | ▲ |
| 1880s | 335 | #304 | — |
The Story of Earle
A Greatest Generation name
Peaking in 1918, Earle is a name steeped in history. Boys named Earle are most likely born between 1908 and 1928.
How rare is Earle?
Earle has 11,505 recorded births in the U.S. — a well-established name with deep roots.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1880, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1920s with 2,805 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Earle by the numbers
- Would fill 240 school buses
- Meeting one Earle per day would take 31.5 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(127 years, 1880–2014)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 6 | #11106 |
| 2010 | 5 | #12798 |
| 2008 | 7 | #10167 |
| 2005 | 5 | #11948 |
| 2004 | 7 | #9203 |
| 2003 | 7 | #8928 |
| 2002 | 10 | #6677 |
| 2000 | 5 | #10871 |
| 1998 | 10 | #5952 |
| 1997 | 5 | #9697 |
| 1996 | 6 | #8245 |
| 1995 | 7 | #7224 |
| 1994 | 5 | #9231 |
| 1993 | 10 | #5466 |
| 1992 | 19 | #3373 |
| 1991 | 14 | #4069 |
| 1990 | 16 | #3653 |
| 1989 | 21 | #2928 |
| 1988 | 17 | #3109 |
| 1987 | 14 | #3387 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Earle as a Girl's Name
While overwhelmingly a boy's name, Earle has also been given to 285 girls in the U.S. since 1889.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Earle a boy's or girl's name?
When was Earle most popular?
How popular is the name Earle?
Can Earle be used for both boys and girls?
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1880–2014