Zearl
A rarely used feminine name of unknown origin and meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Zearl. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zearl today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zearl births was 1927 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zearl. 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 Zearl. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1927
6 babies that year
Average age
-
1927 SSA rank
#4,207
Tracked since 1920
Popularity
Zearl: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Zearl 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 Zearl 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 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Zearl
The name Zearl is believed to have its origins in the ancient Phrygian language, spoken by the Phrygians, an Indo-European people who inhabited the region of modern-day Turkey during the 8th century BCE. It is thought to be derived from the Phrygian word "zearlon," which roughly translates to "golden" or "radiant."
One of the earliest known references to the name Zearl can be found in the writings of the Greek historian Herodotus, who documented the Phrygian culture and its people in his work "The Histories," written in the 5th century BCE. Herodotus mentions a Phrygian king named Zearl, who was said to have ruled over the city of Gordium.
During the Byzantine era, which spanned from the 4th to the 15th century CE, the name Zearl appears to have been used within the Eastern Orthodox Christian tradition. Several Byzantine monks and scholars from this period bore the name, including Zearl of Antioch, a 6th-century theologian known for his writings on the nature of the Holy Trinity.
In the 12th century, a Crusader knight from England named Zearl de Montfort was recorded as having participated in the Third Crusade, led by King Richard I (the Lionheart). De Montfort is believed to have been one of the first Europeans to bear the name Zearl.
Another notable figure in history who bore the name Zearl was Zearl the Wise, a 14th-century Persian scholar and philosopher who was renowned for his contributions to the fields of astronomy, mathematics, and poetry. He is credited with several influential works, including the treatise "The Celestial Spheres."
In the 16th century, a Spanish explorer and navigator named Zearl de Vaca gained fame for his accounts of his travels through the American Southwest, where he encountered various Native American tribes. His writings provided valuable insights into the cultures and lifeways of the indigenous peoples of the region.
While the name Zearl has never been widely popular in modern times, it has maintained a niche presence throughout history, often associated with individuals of scholarly or adventurous pursuits. Its unique sound and ancient origins continue to capture the imagination of those seeking a name with a rich cultural heritage.
People
Zearl + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zearl as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Z
Other first names starting with Z with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Zearl: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zearl?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zearl 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 Zearl a common name?
We classify Zearl 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, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zearl most popular?
The single biggest year for Zearl was 1927, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zearl 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 Zearl in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zearl a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zearl 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 Zearl still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zearl 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 Zearl 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 called Zearl?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.