Berkley is an uncommon, yet distinctive given name of English origin. It is derived from the Berkeley family, who were Norman nobles that arrived in England during the Norman Conquest in 1066. The name originally referred to someone from the district around Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire, England. Over time, Berkley has evolved into a unisex given name, though it remains more commonly used for males. It gained some popularity in the United States during the mid-20th century but is still considered quite unique today.
The name Berkeley experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the past century and a half, with notable peaks and valleys. From 1891 to around 1970, the number of annual births with this name ranged between 5 and 31, with a noticeable increase occurring around the early 20th century (1910-1914). However, from the late 1960s onwards, there was a consistent decline in the popularity of the name Berkeley. By the turn of the millennium, the number of annual births with this name dipped below 10, reaching its lowest point in recent years at just 7 births in both 1989 and 1992. Despite this overall downward trend, there have been intermittent spikes since 2006, with a high of 50 births recorded in both 2013 and 2020. In total, over the period from 1891 to 2023, there were 2,134 babies named Berkeley.