Earle

Meaning of Earle

The name Earle derives from the Old English eorl, itself rooted in Proto-Germanic *erlaz, originally denoting a man of noble rank or warrior status. As a given name and surname, Earle carries these aristocratic overtones into an Anglo-American context, where its pronunciation in English varies only subtly—/ɜːl/ in British usage and /ɜrl/ in American. Analyses of Pennsylvania birth records from 1911 to 1962 reveal a steady decline in popularity: it peaked at rank 99 in 1911 (five occurrences) before settling around the 150–200 range, often with fewer than twenty annual registrations. Today, Earle maintains technical precision and historical resonance as a distinctive masculine choice.