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Birl
Pronounced BURL /ΛbΙrl/Low
Meaning: Birl is a spelling of Burl, from the English word for the knotted, whorled grain of a tree and from a surname meaning 'dweller by the fortified clearing.' The i-spelling is one of several rural American ways of writing the same short sound.Low
Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880βpresent). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Birl is a variant of Burl, both from the English burl, the knotted grain of wood, and a surname for someone living by a clearing. Like Berl and Bearl, it belongs to the early-century Southern habit of spelling homely sounds directly.
It stayed genuinely rare, given to only about fifteen boys a year at its peak around 1921 before disappearing from the rolls. A boy named Birl then belongs to a great-grandparent's generation now.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Birl mean?
As a form of Burl, it comes from the English word for the knotted grain of wood, and from a surname for a dweller by a clearing.
How do you pronounce Birl?
It is said BURL /ΛbΙrl/ - one syllable.
Is Birl a boy or girl name?
Birl is used as a boy's name.
How popular is Birl?
It was always rare in the United States, given to only about fifteen boys a year at its peak in the nineteen-twenties.