Jearl
Masculine
Jearl is given to both — 542 boys and 54 girls since 1880. See other names given to both
Jearl is a one-syllable name that sounds like Earl with a J in front, from an earlier American generation. It is short, plain and sturdy, and given almost only to boys.
How old is the name Jearl?
Jearl first appears in US birth records in 1919 — 106 years ago. The typical Jearl alive today was born around 1942, making them about 83 years old. About 200 people named Jearl are estimated to be alive in the US today.
When was the name Jearl most popular?
Jearl peaked in 1941, reaching #1446 nationally. See the whole 1941 chart.
Where it comes from
Origin, sound and short forms
Our story of Jearl
Earl was a favorite American boy's name, and Gerald another, and Jearl sits between them, as if Gerald had been cut to one syllable or Earl had been given a new first sound. It is a name of plain country dignity, short enough to shout across a field, and it has been carried by few enough men to stay unusual.
Meaningnot established
Not established
No source records the origin of Jearl. It may be Earl with a J added, or a clipped Gerald, and no record says which.
Pronouncing Jearl
JURL
One syllable, rhyming with Earl.
What the data says
146 years of official birth records
The long climb, and where it stands now
The same years in position rather than babies
- First recorded
- 1919
- Most boys named
- 194122 — the highest on record
- Peak rank
- #1446reached in 1941
- Change vs 1980
- +20.0%6 in 1983, from 5
Rank is a position, a count is a headcount, and they move independently — a name can hold its rank while the number of babies behind it falls. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration.
Jearls among us
people named Jearl are estimated to be alive in the US today
Estimated from SSA birth records and published actuarial life tables. Method
Is it right for you
Questions parents actually ask
Fashion outlook
Jearl sits outside the current charts, and that is its own kind of answer: naming cycles can only date the names they carried up. A name this rare has no decade stamped on it — it cannot go out of fashion, because it was never in.
Based on 146 years of naming cycles. How we read them
The trade-off
- It is short and sturdy.
- It is almost certainly unique among the people he will meet.
- People will write Earl or Gerald.
- There is no recorded meaning to give when someone asks.
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What they receive
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Jearl
Masculine
Frequently asked
- How many Jearls are there in the world?
- No country counts the world's names, so there is no worldwide figure — anyone quoting one is estimating. About 200 people named Jearl are estimated to be alive in the US today.
- How popular is the name Jearl in 2025?
- Jearl is rarely given in the US today — it does not rank in the top 2000 boy names.
- Will my child share the name Jearl with classmates?
- Jearl will almost certainly be the only one in school.
More J names
The most-given names starting with J, all years combined.
James#6 · John#23 · Joseph#29 · Joshua#66 · Jason#165 · Jacob#43 · Jeffrey#552 · Jonathan#89
Looking for what else is popular rather than what resembles Jearl? See the current top 100.
Choosing between Jearl and another name?
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US figures from the Social Security Administration. 1880–2025. Data & methodology
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