Joel
From Hebrew יוֹאֵל (yo'él, “Yahweh (is) God”).
Every Joel since 1880 — 282,250 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Joel
Joel is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #219 in 2025 with 1,633 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 282,250 American babies have been named Joel. Its peak came in 1985, when 4,661 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
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 Joel stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Joel 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 | 6 | #13,970 | 1,633 | #219 |
| 2024 | 8 | #11,580 | 1,638 | #219 |
| 2023 | 8 | #11,648 | 1,745 | #212 |
| 2022 | — | — | 1,780 | #209 |
| 2021 | 7 | #12,789 | 1,797 | #211 |
| 2020 | — | — | 1,843 | #207 |
| 2019 | 6 | #14,590 | 2,095 | #187 |
| 2018 | 8 | #11,915 | 2,132 | #188 |
| 2017 | 6 | #14,923 | 2,265 | #177 |
| 2016 | 10 | #10,439 | 2,427 | #166 |
| 2015 | 5 | #17,688 | 2,602 | #159 |
| 2014 | 11 | #9,823 | 2,672 | #154 |
| 2013 | — | — | 2,727 | #144 |
| 2012 | — | — | 2,780 | #144 |
| 2011 | 13 | #8,867 | 3,056 | #132 |
| 2010 | 9 | #11,706 | 3,065 | #132 |
| 2009 | 5 | #18,604 | 3,564 | #116 |
| 2008 | 9 | #12,047 | 3,744 | #113 |
| 2007 | 10 | #11,190 | 3,423 | #123 |
| 2006 | 14 | #8,459 | 3,455 | #123 |
| 2005 | 13 | #8,561 | 3,275 | #123 |
| 2004 | 12 | #8,949 | 3,237 | #124 |
| 2003 | 11 | #9,336 | 3,245 | #124 |
| 2002 | 15 | #7,221 | 3,191 | #122 |
| 2001 | 15 | #7,115 | 3,167 | #126 |
| 2000 | 15 | #6,966 | 3,380 | #112 |
| 1995 | 25 | #4,142 | 3,100 | #120 |
| 1990 | 37 | #3,041 | 4,000 | #95 |
| 1985 | 38 | #2,560 | 4,623 | #67 |
| 1980 | 47 | #2,166 | 4,564 | #67 |
| 1975 | 41 | #2,110 | 3,729 | #74 |
| 1970 | 43 | #1,968 | 3,839 | #82 |
| 1965 | 37 | #1,897 | 2,860 | #114 |
| 1960 | 23 | #2,539 | 3,712 | #110 |
| 1955 | 24 | #2,245 | 2,806 | #121 |
| 1950 | 28 | #1,809 | 2,043 | #130 |
| 1945 | 24 | #1,717 | 1,597 | #135 |
| 1940 | 24 | #1,612 | 1,278 | #140 |
| 1935 | 30 | #1,339 | 919 | #157 |
| 1930 | 16 | #2,149 | 455 | #263 |
| 1925 | 16 | #2,330 | 379 | #294 |
| 1920 | — | — | 346 | #308 |
| 1915 | 6 | #4,007 | 272 | #313 |
| 1910 | — | — | 55 | #335 |
| 1905 | — | — | 48 | #289 |
| 1900 | — | — | 35 | #380 |
| 1895 | — | — | 37 | #298 |
| 1890 | — | — | 37 | #287 |
| 1885 | — | — | 56 | #215 |
| 1880 | — | — | 41 | #263 |
Famous people named Joel
- Joel Religious figure · -1–-301
- Joel Schumacher Film director · 1939–2020
- Joel Silver Producer · b. 1952
- Joel Grey Actor · b. 1932
- Joel Hastings Metcalf Astronomer · 1866–1925
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Joel mean?
From Hebrew יוֹאֵל (yo'él, “Yahweh (is) God”).
How popular is the name Joel in 2025?
Joel ranked #219 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,633 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Joel?
282,250 babies have been named Joel in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Joel most popular?
Joel peaked in 1985, when 4,661 newborns received the name.
Is Joel a boy or girl name?
Joel is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Joel rising or falling?
Joel is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Joel?
Well-known people named Joel include Joel (religious figure), Joel Schumacher (film director), Joel Silver (producer).