Berl is a name of German origin that has been used historically as both a given name and a surname. The name itself is derived from the Germanic element "berht" which means "bright" or "famous". In some cases, it may also be associated with the German city of Berlin.
The name Berl was first recorded as a given name in the 13th century, although its use as a surname predates this. As a given name, Berl has been used historically in Germany and other parts of Europe. However, it is not currently among the most popular names in any country and may be considered somewhat uncommon today.
Despite its lack of modern popularity, Berl has been borne by several notable individuals throughout history. One famous bearer of the name was Beryl Markham (1902-1986), a British-born Canadian aviatrix who set numerous aviation records and wrote a memoir called "West with the Night". Another notable figure named Berl was Berel Rodal (1921-1944), a member of the Jewish partisans in World War II who fought against Nazi occupation.
In summary, Berl is an ancient German name that means "bright" or "famous". Although it is not widely used today, it has been borne by several notable historical figures.
Based on the statistics provided, it appears that the name Berl has had a fluctuating popularity over the past century in the United States.
The earliest data available is from 1912, with 5 births recorded for that year. The number of births increased steadily until reaching a peak of 26 in both 1922 and 1923. After this peak, the number of births fluctuated between 19 and 26 until 1930.
From 1931 to 1940, the popularity of the name Berl continued to decline, with the highest number of births being 21 in 1933. This trend continued into the 1950s, with the number of births dropping to as low as 5 in 1966.
The name Berl remained relatively uncommon throughout the 1970s and 1980s, with only a handful of births each year. However, there was a slight increase in popularity during the late 1990s and early 2000s, with as many as 12 births recorded in 2005.
Since then, the popularity of the name Berl has continued to fluctuate, with peaks in recent years such as 23 births in 2019, 22 births in 2016, and 21 births in both 2014 and 2015. However, it remains a relatively uncommon name overall.
In total, there have been 1054 births of the name Berl recorded in the United States since 1912. While its popularity has waxed and waned over time, it is clear that this name has had a consistent, albeit modest, presence in the country's baby naming landscape.