Mitchell
From a Middle English vernacular form of the Old French given name Michel (“Michael”), or in some cases from a Middle English nickname muchel (“big”).
Every Mitchell since 1880 — 165,191 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Mitchell
Mitchell is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #954 in 2025 with 245 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 165,191 American babies have been named Mitchell. Its peak came in 1994, when 5,391 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
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 Mitchell stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Mitchell 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 | — | — | 245 | #954 |
| 2024 | — | — | 259 | #906 |
| 2023 | — | — | 291 | #839 |
| 2022 | — | — | 305 | #816 |
| 2021 | — | — | 306 | #800 |
| 2020 | — | — | 342 | #726 |
| 2019 | — | — | 358 | #701 |
| 2018 | 6 | #15,071 | 399 | #645 |
| 2017 | 5 | #17,622 | 396 | #652 |
| 2016 | — | — | 465 | #590 |
| 2015 | 5 | #18,290 | 473 | #586 |
| 2014 | 7 | #14,113 | 563 | #502 |
| 2013 | — | — | 616 | #457 |
| 2012 | — | — | 588 | #465 |
| 2011 | 9 | #11,864 | 667 | #419 |
| 2010 | 6 | #16,337 | 737 | #387 |
| 2009 | 11 | #10,445 | 855 | #359 |
| 2008 | 10 | #11,340 | 979 | #335 |
| 2007 | 11 | #10,602 | 1,108 | #304 |
| 2006 | 7 | #14,636 | 1,255 | #275 |
| 2005 | 15 | #7,793 | 1,447 | #236 |
| 2004 | 17 | #6,999 | 1,648 | #213 |
| 2003 | 9 | #11,024 | 1,891 | #196 |
| 2002 | 20 | #5,832 | 2,172 | #177 |
| 2001 | 21 | #5,501 | 2,568 | #156 |
| 2000 | 13 | #7,889 | 2,983 | #132 |
| 1995 | 15 | #6,166 | 4,737 | #79 |
| 1990 | 20 | #4,811 | 4,021 | #93 |
| 1985 | 27 | #3,302 | 2,452 | #115 |
| 1980 | 14 | #5,141 | 1,521 | #164 |
| 1975 | 13 | #4,766 | 1,179 | #191 |
| 1970 | 18 | #3,526 | 1,541 | #179 |
| 1965 | 12 | #3,882 | 1,878 | #159 |
| 1960 | 17 | #3,071 | 2,973 | #126 |
| 1955 | 8 | #4,622 | 2,274 | #137 |
| 1950 | — | — | 1,224 | #181 |
| 1945 | — | — | 518 | #254 |
| 1940 | 7 | #3,747 | 325 | #312 |
| 1935 | 5 | #4,692 | 277 | #329 |
| 1930 | — | — | 247 | #364 |
| 1925 | — | — | 346 | #306 |
| 1920 | 7 | #4,281 | 415 | #271 |
| 1915 | 8 | #3,337 | 328 | #269 |
| 1910 | — | — | 82 | #273 |
| 1905 | — | — | 46 | #296 |
| 1900 | — | — | 52 | #289 |
| 1895 | — | — | 31 | #335 |
| 1890 | — | — | 30 | #319 |
| 1885 | — | — | 29 | #316 |
| 1880 | — | — | 32 | #298 |
Famous people named Mitchell
- Mitchell Feigenbaum Mathematician · 1944–2019
- Mitchell Ryan Actor · b. 1928
- Mitchell Leisen Film director · 1898–1972
- Mitchell Langerak Soccer player · b. 1988
- Mitchell Weiser Soccer player · b. 1994
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Mitchell mean?
From a Middle English vernacular form of the Old French given name Michel (“Michael”), or in some cases from a Middle English nickname muchel (“big”).
How popular is the name Mitchell in 2025?
Mitchell ranked #954 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 245 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Mitchell?
165,191 babies have been named Mitchell in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Mitchell most popular?
Mitchell peaked in 1994, when 5,391 newborns received the name.
Is Mitchell a boy or girl name?
Mitchell is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Mitchell rising or falling?
Mitchell is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Mitchell?
Well-known people named Mitchell include Mitchell Feigenbaum (mathematician), Mitchell Ryan (actor), Mitchell Leisen (film director).