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Pearley
How to Pronounce Pearley
Pronounced PUR-lee /ΛpΙr.li/Medium
Meaning: Pearley is an elaboration of Pearl, the name of the lustrous gem (ultimately from Latin/Romance words for the pearl), given the warm -ey ending common in early-twentieth-century names. It reads as a fuller, softer Pearl; the meaning follows Pearl. Pearley was used for both girls and boys, but here it is recorded as a girls' name.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
Pearley is an elaboration of Pearl, from the name of the lustrous gem, softened with a homey -ey ending. It appears in United States records from the 1880s with a small high in the mid-1920s, in the era when Pearl and its offshoots were popular. It was never common - given to only about two dozen girls a year - and faded by the late 1950s.
A girl named Pearley at its 1920s high would be a great-great-grandmother today; the name reads as warm, turn-of-the-century Americana. Two soft beats and a gentle lilt set it beside Pearlie and Nettie. With Pearl itself back in fashion, Pearley's family is reviving, though this spelling has not itself returned.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Pearley mean?
It is an elaboration of Pearl, from the name of the lustrous gem, with a soft -ey ending.
How do you pronounce Pearley?
It's said PUR-lee /ΛpΙr.li/, two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Pearley a boy or girl name?
Pearley is used here as a girl's name.
How popular is Pearley?
It has always been rare, an early-twentieth-century name given to only about two dozen girls a year and long since faded.