Mirl
A fabricated name of uncertain origin and meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Mirl. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 61.3% of registrations being male. The average person named Mirl today is around 89 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mirl births was 1921 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mirl. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Mirl is about 89 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Mirls were born before 1947.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Mirl. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1921
14 babies that year
Average age
89
years old
1942 SSA rank
#3,908
Tracked since 1913
Gender
Gender distribution for Mirl
Mirl is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 142 total registrations, 87 (61.3%) were male and 55 (38.7%) were female.
Mirl as a male name
- Ranked #3,908 in 1942
- 5 male births in 1942
- Peak: 1913 (8 births)
Mirl as a female name
- Ranked #4,721 in 1937
- 5 female births in 1937
- Peak: 1916 (7 births)
Popularity
Mirl: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Mirl from the 1910s through to the 1940s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 51 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mirl by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Mirl during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Mirl
The name Mirl is believed to have its origins in the ancient Etruscan civilization that flourished in what is now modern-day Italy. It is derived from the Etruscan word "mirl," which roughly translates to "air" or "wind." This connection suggests that the name may have been associated with concepts of freedom, fluidity, and the natural elements.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Mirl can be found in the writings of the Roman historian Livy, who documented the Etruscan culture in his work "Ab Urbe Condita" (From the Founding of the City). Livy's accounts provide insights into the significance of this name within the Etruscan society.
Historically, the name Mirl has been relatively uncommon, but a few notable individuals have carried it throughout the ages. One such figure was Mirl of Samnium, a renowned warrior and strategist who led the Samnite forces against the Roman Republic during the Samnite Wars in the 4th century BCE.
In the 12th century, Mirl the Scribe was a prominent calligrapher and illuminator of manuscripts in the Benedictine monastery of Monte Cassino in Italy. His intricate and beautiful work can still be appreciated in the few surviving manuscripts bearing his name.
During the Renaissance period, Mirl Botticelli, a lesser-known sibling of the famous painter Sandro Botticelli, was a respected fresco artist and muralist in Florence, Italy. While much of his work has been lost to time, records indicate that he collaborated with his brother on several commissions from wealthy patrons.
In the 19th century, Mirl Hawthorne was an American novelist and poet who gained recognition for her vivid descriptions of the natural landscapes of New England. Her most celebrated work, "The Whispering Woods," explored themes of nature's resilience and the human connection to the environment.
More recently, Mirl Redding was a prominent civil rights activist and organizer in the mid-20th century. Born in 1920, she played a pivotal role in the desegregation efforts in her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, and worked tirelessly to promote equality and justice for all.
While the name Mirl has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, its Etruscan origins and connection to concepts of air and freedom have given it a unique and intriguing significance. The individuals who have carried this name have left their mark across various fields, from warfare and art to literature and civil rights activism.
People
Mirl + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mirl as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Mirl: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mirl?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mirl going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Mirl a common name?
We classify Mirl as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 142 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mirl most popular?
The single biggest year for Mirl was 1921, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mirl is about 89 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Mirl a male name?
Yes, 61.3% of people registered as Mirl in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.