Berlin is a unique and distinctive name of German origin. It is derived from the Old Germanic word "berht" which means "bright" or "famous". The city of Berlin in Germany is believed to have taken its name from this word, as it was originally called "Bearn" or "Bern", meaning "bear town".
The use of Berlin as a given name is relatively rare compared to other names. However, there are some notable figures throughout history who bear this name. One example is the German philosopher and social theorist Karl Heinrich Marx, more commonly known as Karl Marx, whose middle name was Berlin.
Despite its uniqueness, Berlin has not been widely popular as a baby boy's name. According to data from the Social Security Administration in the United States, only 16 boys were named Berlin in 2019, which ranks it at number 7,465 on their list of most popular boy names for that year.
In summary, Berlin is an uncommon and distinct German-derived name with a unique historical connection to one of Europe's major cities. Its meaning, "bright" or "famous", lends it a positive connotation that may appeal to those looking for a less common but meaningful name choice.
The name Berlin experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the century. It began with a low of just five births in 1899, then saw a steady increase, reaching a peak of 42 births in both 1920 and 1921. After World War II, the name's popularity declined significantly, dropping to single digits between 1946 and 1953. It fluctuated around this low level for several decades, with occasional spikes, such as 33 births in 2020 and 33 in 2022. Overall, Berlin was chosen for 1591 births over the course of these records (1899-2023).