Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 2023

Kestrel

Gender Unisex · 92% girls Rank 2025 #6,985
Rank 2025
#6,985
among girls · ↑4,675 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
16
named Kestrel
How common
1 in 100,454
girls born in 2025
Peak year
2023
21 babies
All-time total
339
#15,560 all-time among girls
First recorded
1985
in Social Security records

Kestrel popularity over time

339 babies have been named Kestrel since 1985, 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
00.010.010.0218801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
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 – – – – – –
1930s – – – – – –
1940s – – – – – –
1950s – – – – – –
1960s – – – – – –
1970s – – – – – –
1980s 11 – 11 1 – #9,938
1990s 43 – 43 4 +291% #7,509
2000s 63 – 63 6 +47% #10,874
2010s 115 5 120 12 +90% #6,300
2020s (to 2025) 80 22 102 17 +42% #6,985

The story of Kestrel

Kestrel is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #6,985 in 2025 with 16 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1985, 339 American babies have been named Kestrel, about 92% girls and 8% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2023, when 21 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2020s.

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

How old are people named Kestrel?

The median living Kestrel is about 11 years old; half are between 5 and 21. An estimated 300 people named Kestrel are alive in the United States today.

median 11 020406080100

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

Kestrel 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 16 #6,985 – –
2024 8 #11,660 6 #11,701
2023 15 #7,463 6 #11,589
2022 16 #7,132 – –
2021 12 #8,733 5 #13,172
2020 13 #8,199 5 #13,155
2019 19 #6,300 – –
2018 12 #8,907 – –
2017 16 #7,262 – –
2016 8 #12,339 – –
2015 11 #9,820 – –
2014 17 #7,157 – –
2013 8 #12,606 – –
2012 9 #11,769 5 #13,306
2011 10 #10,802 – –
2010 5 #18,481 – –
2009 8 #13,085 – –
2008 7 #14,612 – –
2007 6 #16,566 – –
2006 9 #11,948 – –
2005 – – – –
2004 5 #17,492 – –
2003 9 #10,874 – –
2002 6 #14,538 – –
2001 8 #11,542 – –
2000 5 #16,335 – –
1995 5 #14,581 – –
1990 – – – –
1985 6 #9,938 – –
1980 – – – –
1975 – – – –
1970 – – – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – – –
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Kestrel?

The median living Kestrel is about 11 years old. Half of all living Kestrels are between 5 and 21 years old.

How many people named Kestrel are alive today?

An estimated 300 people named Kestrel are alive in the United States, based on 339 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Kestrel in 2025?

Kestrel ranked #6,985 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 16 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Kestrel?

339 babies have been named Kestrel in the United States since 1985, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Kestrel most popular?

Kestrel peaked in 2023, when 21 newborns received the name.

Is Kestrel a boy or girl name?

Kestrel is used for both: about 92% of babies named Kestrel have been girls and 8% boys.

Is the name Kestrel rising or falling?

Kestrel is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Names like Kestrel

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

Compare Kestrel with similar names → More names starting with K →