unisex name · in the US
Berkeley
BURK-lee (English)
- Gender Unisex (US)
- Syllables 2
- Letters 8
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 3,059
Berkeley is a unisex name in the United States, with 2 syllables. It is given to both girls and boys — about 70% of recorded births with this name are girls. In 2025 it was given to 81 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
- Peaked in 2016, when 133 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 40,932 babies in the United States is given this name.
- Berkeley started out as a boys' name and is now given almost entirely to girls.
- First appears in US birth records in 1913.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Berkeley Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1910s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 51 |
| 1920s | 94 |
| 1930s | 73 |
| 1940s | 64 |
| 1950s | 68 |
| 1960s | 56 |
| 1970s | 64 |
| 1980s | 99 |
| 1990s | 224 |
| 2000s | 481 |
| 2010s | 1,137 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 562 |
How Popular Is Berkeley?
In 2025, Berkeley was given to 81 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Berkeley Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Berkeley
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Berkeley Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Berkeley over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Boys' or Girls' Name?
Berkeley is used differently depending on where you are. Each figure is the share of babies given the name who were girls, over the last ten years of that country's records.
- United States Both 88% girls · 1,076 babies
- Canada Girls' 100% girls · 56 babies
How to Say Berkeley
- English BURK-lee
Sibling Names for Berkeley
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Berkeley — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Berkeley
How popular is the name Berkeley?
In 2025, Berkeley was given to 81 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Berkeley a girl's or a boy's name?
Berkeley is used for both girls and boys. About 70% of recorded births with this name are girls.
How many syllables are in Berkeley?
Berkeley has 2 syllables.
When was Berkeley most popular?
Berkeley peaked in 2016, when 133 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Berkeley a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Berkeley currently ranks #2,494 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.
Was Berkeley originally a boys' or girls' name?
Berkeley was given mostly to boys in the earliest US birth records and is now given almost entirely to girls.