Karl
5 countries#1585 in United States, 2025Popularity across 5 countries
Each line is scaled to its own peak, so you can compare when Karl was in fashion in each country, whatever the population size.
Country by country
🇺🇸 United States
101,751 births recorded 1880–2025 · currently #1585 · peaked in 1960 with 2,614 births
Most common in: New York, California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio
Source: Social Security Administration, official birth-registration data
🇫🇷 France
10,463 births recorded 1900–2022 · currently #514 · peaked in 1972 with 331 births
Most common in: Paris, Nord, La Réunion, Loire-Atlantique, Martinique
Source: INSEE, official birth-registration data
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
3,139 births recorded 1974–2022 · peaked in 1996 with 423 births (England & Wales + Scotland + Northern Ireland combined)
Source: ONS, National Records of Scotland & NISRA (combined), official birth-registration data
🏴🏴 England & Wales
2,628 births recorded 1996–2021 · currently #1184 · peaked in 1996 with 413 births
Source: Office for National Statistics, official birth-registration data
🏴 Scotland
282 births recorded 1974–2009 · peaked in 1988 with 16 births
Source: National Records of Scotland, official birth-registration data
Northern Ireland
229 births recorded 1997–2022 · peaked in 1997 with 27 births
Source: NISRA, official birth-registration data
United States rank history
Karl’s rank among boys’ names, most recent 20 years on record.
| Year | Rank | vs. prior yr |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | #769 | — |
| 2007 | #859 | ↓90 |
| 2008 | #1019 | ↓160 |
| 2009 | #966 | ↑53 |
| 2010 | #1086 | ↓120 |
| 2011 | #1078 | ↑8 |
| 2012 | #1135 | ↓57 |
| 2013 | #1096 | ↑39 |
| 2014 | #1147 | ↓51 |
| 2015 | #1075 | ↑72 |
| 2016 | #1149 | ↓74 |
| 2017 | #1287 | ↓138 |
| 2018 | #1282 | ↑5 |
| 2019 | #1283 | ↓1 |
| 2020 | #1568 | ↓285 |
| 2021 | #1529 | ↑39 |
| 2022 | #1425 | ↑104 |
| 2023 | #1681 | ↓256 |
| 2024 | #1685 | ↓4 |
| 2025 | #1585 | ↑100 |
Frequently asked questions about Karl
Is Karl a popular name?
Yes — Karl currently ranks #1585 among boys’ names in United States as of 2025, based on official birth records.
Is Karl more common for boys or girls?
Karl is recorded predominantly as a boys’ name in official United States birth data.
When was Karl most popular?
Karl peaked in 1960 in United States, with 2,614 recorded births that year.
Is Karl rising or falling in popularity?
In United States, Karl’s popularity is falling — its rank has slipped from #373 in 1880 to #1585 in 2025.
How many babies have been named Karl?
At least 115,353 babies have been recorded with the name Karl across official birth statistics in 5 countries.
Is Karl popular in more than one country?
Yes — Karl appears in official birth records in 5 countries: United States, France, England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland.
What names are similar in popularity to Karl?
Based on real 2025 ranking data in United States, names ranked closest to Karl include Esai, Juelz, Mikah.
Similar names right now
Ranked directly next to Karl in United States, 2025 — a real popularity match, not a subjective list.