Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1979

Donelle

Gender Unisex · 78% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists
Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Donelle
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1979
48 babies
All-time total
1,450
#6,899 all-time among girls
First recorded
1922
in Social Security records

Donelle popularity over time

1,450 babies have been named Donelle since 1922, 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
0.010.020.020.0318801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

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 – – – – – –
1910s – – – – – –
1920s 7 – 7 1 – #4,111
1930s – – – – – –
1940s 55 – 55 6 – #3,078
1950s 165 – 165 17 +200% #2,251
1960s 263 11 274 27 +66% #1,920
1970s 315 70 385 39 +41% #1,988
1980s 215 118 333 33 -14% #3,006
1990s 90 61 151 15 -55% #5,625
2000s 17 56 73 7 -52% #14,327
2010s – 7 7 1 -90% –
2020s (to 2025) – – – – – –

The story of Donelle

Donelle is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1922, 1,450 American babies have been named Donelle, about 78% girls and 22% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1979, when 48 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1970s.

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 Donelle stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Donelle?

The median living Donelle is about 49 years old; half are between 39 and 58. An estimated 1,300 people named Donelle are alive in the United States today.

median 49 020406080100

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

Donelle 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 – – – –
2024 – – – –
2023 – – – –
2022 – – – –
2021 – – – –
2020 – – – –
2019 – – 7 #10,015
2018 – – – –
2017 – – – –
2016 – – – –
2015 – – – –
2014 – – – –
2013 – – – –
2012 – – – –
2011 – – – –
2010 – – – –
2009 – – – –
2008 – – – –
2007 7 #14,327 9 #8,363
2006 – – 11 #7,048
2005 – – 7 #9,388
2004 – – 9 #7,705
2003 – – 7 #8,909
2002 5 #16,158 6 #9,704
2001 – – – –
2000 5 #15,745 7 #8,444
1995 9 #8,972 6 #8,085
1990 16 #5,625 15 #3,829
1985 21 #3,887 9 #4,423
1980 22 #3,640 12 #3,472
1975 31 #2,528 7 #4,453
1970 42 #1,988 – –
1965 26 #2,361 – –
1960 18 #2,925 – –
1955 21 #2,423 – –
1950 13 #2,942 – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Donelle?

The median living Donelle is about 49 years old. Half of all living Donelles are between 39 and 58 years old.

How many people named Donelle are alive today?

An estimated 1,300 people named Donelle are alive in the United States, based on 1,450 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Donelle in 2025?

Donelle did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Donelle?

1,450 babies have been named Donelle in the United States since 1922, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Donelle most popular?

Donelle peaked in 1979, when 48 newborns received the name.

Is Donelle a boy or girl name?

Donelle is used for both: about 78% of babies named Donelle have been girls and 22% boys.

Is the name Donelle rising or falling?

Donelle has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Names like Donelle

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

Compare Donelle with similar names → More names starting with D →