Earl comes from the Old English eorl and means "nobleman" or "warrior"; it is the English title of nobility that was taken up as a first name in the 19th century, like Duke and Baron. Chief Justice Earl Warren and the jazz pianist Earl Hines are among its well-known American bearers. Earl was still in the top 1000 at number 712 in 2000, but it has slipped every decade since and ranked number 2236 in 2025.