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Berkeley Name Meaning, Origins & History

Berkeley

Pronunciation: BURK-lee

Meaning From the birch tree meadow Origin surnames Gender Girl
GIRLS RANK
#2,490
TREND
108
BOYS RANK
#7,743
TREND
2,263
Peak Years
2017, 2016, 2018
Lowest Years
1923, 1983, 1976
Energy Archetype
Emotional & Intuitive

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of girls named Berkeley in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Berkeley

  • More than 2 thousand babies named Berkeley: U.S. records list 2,973 babies given the name Berkeley from 1880 through 2025. Even 900 boys received the name Berkeley - about 1 boy for every 2 girls.

What Does the Name Berkeley Mean?

Berkeley is an English place name meaning 'birch clearing' or 'birch wood.' It comes from Old English beorc 'birch tree' and lēah 'wood, clearing, meadow.' The first element is the tree name; the second is a common Old English place-name term for a tract of land, often wooded or partly open. The literal sense is a birch wood or a clearing where birch trees grew. The usual translation varies between 'birch wood' and 'birch clearing' because lēah can be rendered in more than one way, but the birch-tree element is not in dispute.

Berkeley Name History & Origins

Berkeley began as an English place name. The best-known example is Berkeley in Gloucestershire, recorded in Domesday Book (1086) in a form such as Berchelai. That spelling reflects the Old English combination of beorc and lēah, and the place gave its name to the Berkeley family. Berkeley Castle, held by that family from the 12th century, helped keep the surname and place name prominent in English history; the title Baron Berkeley dates from the 13th century.

From the surname, Berkeley became a given name through the common English practice of using family surnames as first names. One bearer was Berkeley Paget, a British politician born in 1780. The name appears occasionally in Britain and the United States, but it has remained far less common as a first name than as a surname or place name. In the United States, it is strongly associated with Berkeley, California. That city was named in 1866 after George Berkeley, the Irish philosopher and Anglican bishop, whose poem Westward the course of empire takes its way was admired by the trustees of the College of California. The California name is pronounced BURK-lee, while the English place is traditionally pronounced BARK-lee.

How Popular is the Name Berkeley?

Berkeley has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2017. Its best rank was #1,763 in 2017.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

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How the Name Berkeley Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You can go to great heights and equally great depths. You are emotional and fixed in your opinions. You are hospitable, sentimental, often psychic, sometimes moody. You are ruled by love and the lack of it and feel a need to be encouraged and appreciated. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.

You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.

✦ Berkeley's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Berkeley's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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