The first name Errol
A boy’s name.
Pronounced /ˈɛɹəl/ 2 syllables Male
Meaning and origin
Transferred from a rare Scottish surname derived from a place name, of unknown meaning. Later interpreted as a variant of Earl in the U.S.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 8 boys were named Errol, making it the 2,664th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2018, with 17 births (#1,455).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Errol with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Errol at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 17 boys born in the United States were named Errol, the 5,454th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1941, when 272 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Errol
10 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Errol FlynnAustralian actor (1909–1959)
- Errol MorrisAmerican filmmaker and writer (born 1948)
- Errol BarrowBarbadian politician (1920-1987)
- Errol SpenceAmerican boxer, born 1990
- Errol BrownBritish singer and songwriter (1948–2015)
- Errol KerrAmerican-Jamaican ski cross racer, 2010 Olympian and excavation foreman
- Errol ZimmermanDutch martial artist, born 1986
- Errol NolanAmerican sprinter, born 1991
- Errol FullerEnglish writer and artist, born 1947
- Stu UngarAmerican poker player (1953–1998)
Questions
- What does the name Errol mean?
- Transferred from a rare Scottish surname derived from a place name, of unknown meaning. Later interpreted as a variant of Earl in the U.S.
- How popular is the name Errol?
- In 2025, 8 boys born in England and Wales were named Errol, ranking 2,664th. Its peak was 2018, with 17 births.
- Is Errol a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 8,631 US babies named Errol since 1880 were boys.
- When was Errol most popular?
- 1941 in the United States, when 272 babies were named Errol, its highest rank at 354th.
- How do you pronounce Errol?
- Errol is /ˈɛɹəl/, 2 syllables.