Soul
- Gender
- Unisex
- Say it
- SOHL
- Origin
- English
- UK rank, 2025
- #1,964 for boys
- US rank, 2025
- #2,332 for boys
Soul is a name of English origin, meaning “soul, spirit”. In 2025 it ranked 1,964th for boys in the UK (13 babies) and 2,332nd for boys in the US (59 babies).
What does Soul mean?
English: English word, from Old English sawol
“soul, spirit”
From the English word for the spirit or inner self, Old English sawol; it also brings soul music to mind.
Is Soul a girl's or a boy's name?
In recent years, Soul has been given to both girls and boys. In 2025, it was given to 7 girls and 13 boys in the UK and 37 girls and 59 boys in the US.
How popular is Soul in the UK?
- Rank in 2025
- 1,964th among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 13 about 1 in 23,000 boys
- Five-year trend
- Rising fast up 122% in five years
- Same name in a class
- under 1% chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 13 boys in the UK were named Soul, making it the 1,964th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 2,359th. Its busiest year was 2009, with 14 boys. 7 girls were also named Soul in 2025 (3,409th for girls).
Half of all the boys named Soul in the UK since 1996 were born between 2006 and 2021, the years shaded on the chart below.
Girls were 10% of the babies named Soul in the UK in 2020, and 35% in 2025.
Among boys in 2025, it was 1,894th in England and Wales.
Soul in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | #1,964 |
| 2024 | 13 | #1,917 |
| 2023 | 14 | #1,812 |
| 2022 | 7 | #2,922 |
| 2021 | 10 | #2,257 |
| 2020 | 9 | #2,359 |
| 2019 | 9 | #2,399 |
| 2018 | 0 | – |
| 2017 | 4 | #4,161 |
| 2016 | 8 | #2,690 |
| 2015 | 4 | #4,086 |
| 2014 | 7 | #2,843 |
| 2013 | 5 | #3,466 |
| 2012 | 11 | #2,080 |
| 2011 | 10 | #2,158 |
| 2010 | 13 | #1,805 |
| 2009 | 14 | #1,674 |
| 2008 | 6 | #2,906 |
| 2007 | 7 | #2,554 |
| 2006 | 7 | #2,386 |
| 2005 | 6 | #2,545 |
| 2004 | 7 | #2,157 |
| 2003 | 12 | #1,418 |
| 2002 | 5 | #2,358 |
| 2001 | 6 | #2,049 |
| 2000 | 6 | #1,977 |
| 1999 | 0 | – |
| 1998 | 7 | #1,727 |
How popular is Soul in the US?
- Rank in 2025
- 2,332nd among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 59 about 1 in 29,000 boys
- Five-year trend
- Rising fast up 129% in five years
- Same name in a class
- under 1% chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 59 boys in the US were named Soul, making it the 2,332nd most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 3,568th. Its busiest year was 2022, with 62 boys. It first appears in the records in 2000. 37 girls were also named Soul in 2025 (3,902nd for girls).
Half of all the boys named Soul in the US since 1880 were born between 2018 and 2024, the years shaded on the chart below.
In 2025, 39% of the babies named Soul in the US were girls.
Soul in the US, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 59 | #2,332 |
| 2024 | 61 | #2,313 |
| 2023 | 45 | #2,804 |
| 2022 | 62 | #2,298 |
| 2021 | 49 | #2,622 |
| 2020 | 30 | #3,568 |
| 2019 | 24 | #4,226 |
| 2018 | 18 | #5,102 |
| 2017 | 7 | #9,691 |
| 2016 | 10 | #7,600 |
| 2015 | 9 | #8,035 |
| 2014 | 12 | #6,627 |
| 2013 | 0 | – |
| 2012 | 12 | #6,620 |
| 2011 | 11 | #7,002 |
| 2010 | 10 | #7,585 |
| 2009 | 0 | – |
| 2008 | 7 | #9,864 |
| 2007 | 9 | #8,169 |
| 2006 | 0 | – |
| 2005 | 6 | #10,144 |
| 2004 | 0 | – |
| 2003 | 9 | #7,238 |
| 2002 | 5 | #10,660 |
| 2001 | 0 | – |
| 2000 | 6 | #9,104 |
Names like Soul
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Zayd, Musa, Muhammad, Zayaan, Hamza, Zayan, Saif, Abdullah, Umar, Ibrahim, Azaan, Ahmed
Names related to Soul
More English names
Lily, Evelyn, Hudson, Ivy, Harper, Grace, Violet, Willow, Daisy, Poppy, Riley, Oakley, Mason, Cooper, Ruby, Hallie
Sources
Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Soul: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/soul, updated 20 October 2026.