Pearlia
Feminization of the name Pearl, denoting something rare and valuable.
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Pearlia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Pearlia today is around 80 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pearlia births was 1946 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pearlia. 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 Pearlia is about 80 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Pearlias were born before 1956.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Pearlia. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1946
8 babies that year
Average age
80
years old
1947 SSA rank
#5,920
Tracked since 1918
Popularity
Pearlia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Pearlia from the 1910s through to the 1940s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 21 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Pearlia 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 Pearlia 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 Pearlia
The name Pearlia is a feminine given name of English origin, derived from the word "pearl," which comes from the Old French "perle" and the Latin "perla." The name is believed to have emerged in the 17th century, during the rise of the pearl trade in Europe and the fascination with these precious gemstones from the sea.
Pearls have long been associated with beauty, purity, and elegance, and the name Pearlia reflects these qualities. It may have been bestowed upon girls born in families involved in the pearl trade or those who admired the lustrous beauty of these natural treasures.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pearlia can be found in the birth records of colonial America, where a Pearlia Smith was born in Virginia in 1684. This suggests that the name was already in use among English settlers during that era.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Pearlia. One such figure was Pearlia Celestine (1891-1984), an American educator and civil rights activist who dedicated her life to promoting education and equality for African Americans in the segregated South.
Another prominent Pearlia was Pearlia S. Hunter (1919-2005), an African American chemist and educator who made significant contributions to the field of organic chemistry. She was one of the first African American women to receive a Ph.D. in chemistry and spent her career teaching and mentoring students at prestigious institutions like Howard University and the University of the District of Columbia.
In the realm of literature, Pearlia Parker (1902-1986) was an African American writer and activist who published several works of poetry and prose, including the book "Bread and Tulips" in 1954. Her writing often addressed issues of race, identity, and social justice.
The name Pearlia also found its way into the world of music. Pearlia Baird (1917-2001) was an American blues and gospel singer who performed with notable artists such as Memphis Minnie and was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame.
Lastly, Pearlia Nevitt (1905-1985) was an American architect and educator who made significant contributions to the field of architecture in the mid-20th century. She was one of the first African American women to become a licensed architect in the state of New York.
While the name Pearlia may have originated from a fascination with the beauty of pearls, it has also come to represent the strength, resilience, and achievements of remarkable individuals throughout history, many of whom have left a lasting impact on their communities and professions.
People
Pearlia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pearlia 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
Pearlia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pearlia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pearlia 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 Pearlia a common name?
We classify Pearlia 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, 46 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Pearlia most popular?
The single biggest year for Pearlia was 1946, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pearlia is about 80 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 Pearlia in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Pearlia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Pearlia 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 Pearlia still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Pearlia 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 Pearlia 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 people are named Pearlia?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.