Lowell
A Middle English diminutive of Old French lou + -el (diminutive suffix), meaning "little wolf".
Every Lowell since 1881 — 41,677 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Lowell
Lowell is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,281 in 2025 with 36 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1881, 41,677 American babies have been named Lowell. Its peak came in 1931, when 1,100 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1930s.
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 Lowell stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Lowell 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 | — | — | 36 | #3,281 |
| 2024 | — | — | 30 | #3,753 |
| 2023 | — | — | 31 | #3,680 |
| 2022 | — | — | 39 | #3,138 |
| 2021 | 5 | #16,729 | 43 | #2,894 |
| 2020 | — | — | 38 | #3,057 |
| 2019 | — | — | 42 | #2,922 |
| 2018 | — | — | 43 | #2,827 |
| 2017 | — | — | 37 | #3,168 |
| 2016 | — | — | 42 | #2,867 |
| 2015 | — | — | 46 | #2,667 |
| 2014 | — | — | 38 | #3,020 |
| 2013 | — | — | 38 | #2,980 |
| 2012 | — | — | 46 | #2,658 |
| 2011 | — | — | 29 | #3,663 |
| 2010 | — | — | 28 | #3,769 |
| 2009 | — | — | 40 | #2,975 |
| 2008 | — | — | 40 | #2,986 |
| 2007 | — | — | 39 | #3,004 |
| 2006 | — | — | 38 | #2,958 |
| 2005 | — | — | 37 | #2,881 |
| 2004 | — | — | 32 | #3,127 |
| 2003 | — | — | 38 | #2,660 |
| 2002 | — | — | 33 | #2,860 |
| 2001 | — | — | 30 | #3,034 |
| 2000 | — | — | 55 | #1,909 |
| 1995 | — | — | 65 | #1,485 |
| 1990 | — | — | 100 | #1,063 |
| 1985 | — | — | 102 | #898 |
| 1980 | — | — | 108 | #855 |
| 1975 | — | — | 130 | #728 |
| 1970 | — | — | 238 | #523 |
| 1965 | — | — | 323 | #430 |
| 1960 | — | — | 431 | #381 |
| 1955 | 5 | #6,356 | 470 | #340 |
| 1950 | — | — | 572 | #276 |
| 1945 | 7 | #3,869 | 603 | #223 |
| 1940 | 6 | #4,146 | 870 | #172 |
| 1935 | 8 | #3,330 | 994 | #152 |
| 1930 | — | — | 721 | #191 |
| 1925 | 11 | #3,051 | 709 | #196 |
| 1920 | 12 | #2,816 | 670 | #198 |
| 1915 | 11 | #2,626 | 536 | #201 |
| 1910 | — | — | 71 | #293 |
| 1905 | — | — | 55 | #267 |
| 1900 | — | — | 35 | #381 |
| 1895 | — | — | 28 | #353 |
| 1890 | — | — | 22 | #381 |
| 1885 | — | — | 9 | #677 |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Lowell
- Lowell Sherman Actor · 1888–1934
- Lowell Thomas Film director · 1892–1981
- Lowell Bailey Athlete · b. 1981
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Lowell mean?
A Middle English diminutive of Old French lou + -el (diminutive suffix), meaning "little wolf".
How popular is the name Lowell in 2025?
Lowell ranked #3,281 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 36 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Lowell?
41,677 babies have been named Lowell in the United States since 1881, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Lowell most popular?
Lowell peaked in 1931, when 1,100 newborns received the name.
Is Lowell a boy or girl name?
Lowell is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Lowell rising or falling?
Lowell has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Lowell?
Well-known people named Lowell include Lowell Sherman (actor), Lowell Thomas (film director), Lowell Bailey (athlete).