Pearl
Say it: PERL
GirlMeans pearl, the gem5 letters1 syllable
#273
in Ireland (2025)
#276 with spellings combined
15
babies in 2025
#207
best rank (2020)
451
babies since 1964
Down 12
10-year rank change
Pearl through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | #276 |
| 2024 | 10 | #368 |
| 2023 | 16 | #248 |
| 2022 | 18 | #240 |
| 2021 | 23 | #209 |
| 2020 | 22 | #207 |
| 2019 | 23 | #215 |
| 2018 | 21 | #228 |
| 2017 | 22 | #228 |
| 2016 | 16 | #289 |
| 2015 | 19 | #264 |
| 2014 | 15 | #321 |
| 2013 | 13 | #357 |
| 2012 | 16 | #318 |
| 2011 | 7 | #554 |
| 2010 | 9 | #477 |
| 2009 | 8 | #489 |
| 2008 | 5 | #667 |
| 2007 | 8 | #469 |
| 2006 | 6 | #503 |
| 2005 | 8 | #398 |
| 2004 | 3 | #677 |
| 2003 | 4 | #559 |
| 2002 | 4 | #512 |
| 2000 | 3 | #536 |
| 1999 | 3 | #527 |
| 1997 | 3 | #576 |
| 1994 | 5 | #411 |
| 1993 | 6 | #385 |
| 1991 | 4 | #457 |
| 1989 | 7 | #353 |
| 1987 | 5 | #417 |
| 1986 | 5 | #422 |
| 1985 | 6 | #386 |
| 1983 | 7 | #365 |
| 1982 | 7 | #369 |
| 1981 | 5 | #423 |
| 1980 | 8 | #352 |
| 1979 | 3 | #523 |
| 1977 | 7 | #369 |
| 1976 | 10 | #298 |
| 1975 | 9 | #308 |
| 1974 | 3 | #490 |
| 1973 | 6 | #374 |
| 1971 | 7 | #326 |
| 1970 | 4 | #396 |
| 1969 | 5 | #351 |
| 1967 | 5 | #315 |
| 1966 | 4 | #344 |
| 1964 | 3 | #372 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Pearl mean?
Pearl, the gem
English, from the word pearl, one of the Victorian gemstone names.
Say it right
PERL
The story of Pearl
Pearl is simply the English word for the gem that forms inside an oyster or mussel. It came into wide use as a girls’ name in the late nineteenth century, along with other jewel names such as Ruby and Beryl. It also has older roots: it was used to translate the Yiddish name Perle, and Margaret comes from a Greek word for pearl, which may have made the name feel familiar.
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne names her daughter Pearl, as a treasure bought at great cost.
In Ireland Pearl was rare through most of the CSO records, with just 17 girls in the 1960s. It picked up in the 2010s alongside other old-fashioned names. Its biggest year was 2019, with 23 girls, and its best rank was number 207 in 2020. In 2025, 15 girls were named Pearl.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Pearl (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Pearl (given name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Pearl | 15 | 451 |
In Northern Ireland
Not in the 2025 list. Best rank #253 (2024); 19 babies since 2016.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.