Cordell: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#1,977

among boys · ↑160 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Cordell · +12% vs 2024

How common

1 in 22,183

boys born in 2025

Peak year

1998

387 babies

All-time total

10,988

#1,154 all-time among boys

First recorded

1903

in Social Security records

Cordell popularity over time

10,988 babies have been named Cordell since 1903, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Girls	Boys	Total	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1900s	6	19	25	3	–	#1,093
1910s	53	167	220	22	+780%	#1,169
1920s	46	263	309	31	+40%	#1,186
1930s	25	366	391	39	+27%	#806
1940s	–	579	579	58	+48%	#698
1950s	–	560	560	56	-3%	#792
1960s	–	702	702	70	+25%	#778
1970s	–	838	838	84	+19%	#800
1980s	18	1,317	1,335	134	+59%	#563
1990s	–	2,423	2,423	242	+81%	#531
2000s	–	1,961	1,961	196	-19%	#640
2010s	–	1,151	1,151	115	-41%	#1,264
2020s (to 2025)	–	494	494	82	-28%	#1,718

Where Cordell is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 boys	Implied rank
2026	76	0.04	outside top 500
2027	76	0.04	outside top 500
2028	75	0.04	outside top 500
2029	75	0.04	outside top 500
2030	75	0.04	outside top 500

Where Cordell is most popular

Boys named Cordell per 1,000 boys born in each state, 2021–2025. National average: 0.047 per 1,000. Strongest in Indiana, Missouri, and Illinois.

Vs national average

well below below near national above well above no data

All 50 states and DC, sorted by rate. Counts are boys named Cordell born 2021–2025; the per-1,000 rate makes states of different sizes comparable, and the last column shows each state against the national average.

State	Boys 2021–2025	Per 1,000	vs national
Indiana	14	0.087	+87%
Missouri	11	0.079	+70%
Illinois	16	0.063	+34%
Ohio	13	0.049	+5%
Florida	22	0.046	≈ national
Alabama	5	0.046	≈ national
Texas	28	0.032	-32%
Michigan	5	0.024	-48%
New York	10	0.023	-51%
Georgia	5	0.020	-58%
North Carolina	5	0.020	-58%
Pennsylvania	5	0.019	-60%
California	6	0.007	-86%
Alaska	–	–	–
Arkansas	–	–	–
Arizona	–	–	–
Colorado	–	–	–
Connecticut	–	–	–
District of Columbia	–	–	–
Delaware	–	–	–
Hawaii	–	–	–
Iowa	–	–	–
Idaho	–	–	–
Kansas	–	–	–
Kentucky	–	–	–
Louisiana	–	–	–
Massachusetts	–	–	–
Maryland	–	–	–
Maine	–	–	–
Minnesota	–	–	–
Mississippi	–	–	–
Montana	–	–	–
North Dakota	–	–	–
Nebraska	–	–	–
New Hampshire	–	–	–
New Jersey	–	–	–
New Mexico	–	–	–
Nevada	–	–	–
Oklahoma	–	–	–
Oregon	–	–	–
Rhode Island	–	–	–
South Carolina	–	–	–
South Dakota	–	–	–
Tennessee	–	–	–
Utah	–	–	–
Virginia	–	–	–
Vermont	–	–	–
Washington	–	–	–
Wisconsin	–	–	–
West Virginia	–	–	–
Wyoming	–	–	–

State counts come from the Social Security Administration's state files, which omit any state-year with fewer than five babies of a name, so small states can undercount slightly.

The story of Cordell

Cordell is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,977 in 2025 with 77 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1903, 10,988 American babies have been named Cordell. Its peak came in 1998, when 387 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1990s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Cordell stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Cordell?

The median living Cordell is about 29 years old; half are between 19 and 43. An estimated 9,300 people named Cordell are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Cordell year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Girls	Girls rank	Boys	Boys rank
2025	–	–	77	#1,977
2024	–	–	69	#2,137
2023	–	–	89	#1,804
2022	–	–	87	#1,841
2021	–	–	82	#1,873
2020	–	–	90	#1,718
2019	–	–	78	#1,902
2018	–	–	87	#1,764
2017	–	–	125	#1,406
2016	–	–	114	#1,491
2015	–	–	130	#1,347
2014	–	–	119	#1,417
2013	–	–	124	#1,362
2012	–	–	109	#1,478
2011	–	–	127	#1,334
2010	–	–	138	#1,264
2009	–	–	195	#1,008
2008	–	–	279	#786
2007	–	–	165	#1,104
2006	–	–	137	#1,224
2005	–	–	127	#1,246
2004	–	–	167	#991
2003	–	–	173	#948
2002	–	–	189	#870
2001	–	–	244	#720
2000	–	–	285	#640
1995	–	–	267	#631
1990	–	–	184	#748
1985	–	–	63	#1,183
1980	–	–	82	#996
1975	–	–	108	#800
1970	–	–	84	#882
1965	–	–	90	#778
1960	–	–	44	#1,180
1955	–	–	85	#792
1950	–	–	52	#960
1945	–	–	54	#852
1940	–	–	75	#698
1935	–	–	19	#1,599
1930	–	–	32	#1,264
1925	5	#5,121	21	#1,695
1920	–	–	37	#1,186
1915	8	#3,190	16	#1,804
1910	–	–	–	–
1905	–	–	–	–
1900	–	–	–	–
1895	–	–	–	–
1890	–	–	–	–
1885	–	–	–	–
1880	–	–	–	–

Famous people named Cordell

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

1 Cordell Hull American politician and diplomat (1871–1955) 19th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Cordell, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Cordell?

The median living Cordell is about 29 years old. Half of all living Cordells are between 19 and 43 years old.

How many people named Cordell are alive today?

An estimated 9,300 people named Cordell are alive in the United States, based on 10,988 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Cordell mean?

Cordell or Cordel is a given name and surname, a diminutive cognate of the French "Corde".

How popular is the name Cordell in 2025?

Cordell ranked #1,977 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 77 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Cordell?

10,988 babies have been named Cordell in the United States since 1903, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Cordell most popular?

Cordell peaked in 1998, when 387 newborns received the name.

Is Cordell a boy or girl name?

Cordell is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 99% of babies with the name.

Is the name Cordell rising or falling?

Cordell is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Will Cordell become more popular?

Cordell looks stable. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 75 boys named Cordell in 2030, ranking outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Cordell?

Well-known people named Cordell include Cordell Hull (politician).

Names like Cordell

Names that sound and feel close to Cordell: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Cordell with similar names → More names starting with C →