Thirl
A masculine name derived from the English surname meaning "thin" or "narrow".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Thirl. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Thirl today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Thirl births was 1924 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Thirl. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Thirl. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1924
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1924 SSA rank
#4,894
Tracked since 1924
Popularity
Thirl: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Thirl 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 Thirl during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Thirl
The given name Thirl is believed to have originated from the Old English word "thyrl," which means "to pierce" or "to perforate." This name has its roots in the Anglo-Saxon culture and is commonly associated with the early medieval period in England.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Thirl can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property holdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. In this historical document, the name is spelled as "Thyrl" and is attributed to a landowner in the county of Northumberland.
During the Middle Ages, the name Thirl was predominantly used in rural areas of northern England, particularly in the regions of Northumberland, Yorkshire, and Lancashire. It was often associated with occupations related to woodworking or carpentry, as the name's meaning "to pierce" was likely linked to the act of drilling holes in wood.
One notable historical figure who bore the name Thirl was Thirl of Bamburgh, a skilled archer who fought alongside King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War against the French in the 14th century. Records indicate that Thirl was born around 1320 and died in battle near Calais in 1347.
Another individual of historical significance was Thirl the Woodcarver, a renowned woodworker from York who lived in the late 15th century. His intricate carvings adorned many churches and cathedrals in northern England, and his work was highly sought after by the nobility and clergy of the time.
In the 16th century, a figure named Thirl the Wanderer gained fame for his extensive travels throughout Europe and the Middle East. Born in 1512 in the village of Threlkeld, Cumbria, Thirl is said to have documented his journeys in a series of detailed journals, which unfortunately have been lost to history.
Another notable bearer of the name was Thirl Blacksmith, a skilled metalworker who lived in the late 17th century in the town of Gateshead, near Newcastle upon Tyne. His craftsmanship in forging tools and weapons was highly regarded, and his work was commissioned by many wealthy landowners and noblemen of the time.
While the name Thirl has become relatively uncommon in modern times, it holds a rich history and connection to the skilled trades and occupations of medieval and early modern England, particularly in the northern regions where it was most prevalent.
People
Thirl + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Thirl as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Thirl: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Thirl?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Thirl 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 - US residents.
Is Thirl a common name?
We classify Thirl as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Thirl most popular?
The single biggest year for Thirl was 1924, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Thirl is about 0 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 Thirl in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Thirl a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Thirl 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.
Is Thirl still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Thirl 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 Thirl 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 Thirl?
See how many people have the name Thirl on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.