UK girl's name
Pearly
Having a pearl-like or lustrous appearance.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Pearly is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Pearly popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5891, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2017, with 4 births.
This profile covers 10 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2017 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 10 living people in the UK are called Pearly. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Pearly ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2017, when 4 girls were registered as Pearly.
- • About 10 living people in the UK are estimated to have Pearly as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5891
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2017
4 births
Estimated living
10
2026
Meaning
What does Pearly mean?
The name Pearly finds its origins in the Old English language, derived from the word "pearle," which referred to the small, precious gemstone formed within oysters. The name likely emerged during the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain, spanning from the 5th to the 11th century AD.
Historically, the name Pearly held significance as a symbol of purity, beauty, and rarity, reflecting the qualities associated with pearls themselves. It was often bestowed upon individuals with a radiant presence or those born into wealthy families, as pearls were highly valued and considered a luxury item.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pearly can be traced back to the 12th century, when a noblewoman named Pearly de Clifford was mentioned in the chronicles of Winchester Abbey in England. Another notable figure bearing this name was Pearly Wainwright, a prominent English merchant who lived in the 16th century and established a successful trading company in London.
During the 17th century, the name Pearly gained popularity among Puritan families in New England, who appreciated its association with purity and simplicity. One such individual was Pearly Brewster, born in 1620, who was among the first settlers of Plymouth Colony and played a significant role in the establishment of the new community.
In the 19th century, the name Pearly became associated with the literary world when Pearly Bysshe Shelley, an English Romantic poet, achieved fame for her works, including "Frankenstein" and "Prometheus Unbound." She was born in 1792 and passed away in 1822.
Another notable figure from this era was Pearly Nightingale, the pioneering English nurse and social reformer who was instrumental in improving healthcare standards during the Crimean War. She was born in 1820 and died in 1910, leaving a lasting legacy in the field of nursing.
In more recent times, the name Pearly has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including Pearly Mae Buck, an American writer and novelist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1938 for her literary achievements.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Pearly over time
The chart below shows babies named Pearly registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2017 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Pearly, the clearest high point is 2017. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Pearly by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Pearly was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #5736 | 6 | 2 |
| 2010s | #4763 | 4 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Pearly
- Poppy 52,802
- Phoebe 47,609
- Paige 24,717
- Penelope 13,109
- Pippa 6,346
- Polly 5,678
- Philippa 4,446
- Penny 4,394
- Paris 4,372
- Piper 3,961
- Pearl 3,516
- Paisley 3,419
FAQ
Pearly: questions and answers
How popular is the name Pearly in the UK right now?
In 2024, Pearly was ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Pearly most popular?
The peak year on record was 2017, with 4 babies registered as Pearly in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Pearly?
Having a pearl-like or lustrous appearance.
How many people are called Pearly in the UK?
A total of 10 babies have been registered as Pearly across the 3 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.