Pairlee
A combination of the words "pair" and "lee", possibly denoting twins or a pair.
Name Census estimates that about 2 living Americans carry the first name Pairlee. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Pairlee today is around 120 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pairlee births was 1911 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pairlee. 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 Pairlee is about 120 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Pairlees were born before 1916.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Pairlee. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
2
~ 1 in 171,377,169 Americans
Peak year
1911
10 babies that year
Average age
120
years old
1927 SSA rank
#4,685
Tracked since 1885
Popularity
Pairlee: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Pairlee from the 1880s through to the 1920s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 65 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1910s peak, Pairlee remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Pairlee 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 Pairlee during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Pairlees live
Origin
Meaning and history of Pairlee
The name Pairlee does not have a clear origin or recorded history. It appears to be a modern invented name, potentially a combination or alteration of existing names like Pari, Parley, or Pearlie. There are no definitive records of its use in ancient texts, religious scriptures, or historical documents from specific languages or cultures.
While the name itself lacks a documented historical background, it bears some resemblance to names like Pearl, which is derived from the Latin word "pirula" meaning a small sphere or ball, referring to pearls. However, this connection is speculative and does not directly link to the name Pairlee.
Due to its unconventional nature, there are no prominent historical figures or famous individuals recorded with the first name Pairlee. Without a clear origin or traditional usage, it is challenging to trace any significant examples or instances of this name throughout history.
The lack of historical records or documented usage suggests that Pairlee is a relatively modern coinage, potentially created as a unique or inventive name in recent times. While it may hold personal significance for individuals who bear this name, it does not possess a rich historical background or cultural heritage that can be easily traced or documented.
People
Pairlee + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pairlee as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with P
Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Pairlee: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pairlee?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pairlee 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 171,377,169 US residents.
Is Pairlee a common name?
We classify Pairlee as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 187 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Pairlee most popular?
The single biggest year for Pairlee was 1911, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pairlee is about 120 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Pairlee in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Pairlee a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Pairlee in the SSA data are female. 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.
Is Pairlee still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Pairlee in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Pairlee can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Pairlee?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.