Lowell: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#3,281

among boys · ↑472 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Lowell · +20% vs 2024

How common

1 in 47,447

boys born in 2025

Peak year

1931

1,100 babies

All-time total

41,677

#562 all-time among boys

First recorded

1881

in Social Security records

Lowell popularity over time

41,677 babies have been named Lowell since 1881, 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	–	80	80	8	–	#424
1890s	–	230	230	23	+188%	#256
1900s	7	439	446	45	+94%	#267
1910s	74	3,891	3,965	397	+789%	#201
1920s	119	7,236	7,355	736	+85%	#175
1930s	67	9,659	9,726	973	+32%	#147
1940s	42	7,328	7,370	737	-24%	#172
1950s	23	4,916	4,939	494	-33%	#276
1960s	–	3,374	3,374	337	-32%	#381
1970s	–	1,532	1,532	153	-55%	#523
1980s	10	988	998	100	-35%	#800
1990s	–	669	669	67	-33%	#1,063
2000s	–	382	382	38	-43%	#1,909
2010s	–	389	389	39	+2%	#2,658
2020s (to 2025)	5	217	222	37	-5%	#2,894

Where Lowell 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	35	0.02	outside top 500
2027	34	0.02	outside top 500
2028	33	0.02	outside top 500
2029	33	0.02	outside top 500
2030	32	0.02	outside top 500

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.

How old are people named Lowell?

The median living Lowell is about 69 years old; half are between 55 and 79. An estimated 16 thousand people named Lowell 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.

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

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

1 Lowell Thomas American author, broadcaster and traveler (1892–1981) 19th century
2 Lowell Sherman American actor and film director (1888–1934) 19th century
3 Lowell Bailey American biathlete b. 1981 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Lowell?

The median living Lowell is about 69 years old. Half of all living Lowells are between 55 and 79 years old.

How many people named Lowell are alive today?

An estimated 16 thousand people named Lowell are alive in the United States, based on 41,677 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

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.

Will Lowell become more popular?

Lowell is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 32 boys named Lowell in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Lowell?

Well-known people named Lowell include Lowell Thomas (film director), Lowell Sherman (actor), Lowell Bailey (athlete).

Names like Lowell

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

Compare Lowell with similar names → More names starting with L →