Parnell
Matronymic from a medieval spoken form of Petronella.
Every Parnell since 1912 — 1,479 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Parnell
Parnell is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1912, 1,479 American babies have been named Parnell. Its peak came in 1963, when 39 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
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 Parnell stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Parnell 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 | — | — | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — | 8 | #9,472 |
| 2016 | — | — | 5 | #13,679 |
| 2015 | — | — | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — | 6 | #11,764 |
| 2013 | — | — | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — | 5 | #13,801 |
| 2010 | — | — | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — | 6 | #12,186 |
| 2007 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — | 9 | #8,563 |
| 2005 | — | — | 9 | #8,132 |
| 2004 | — | — | 6 | #10,972 |
| 2003 | — | — | 9 | #7,678 |
| 2002 | — | — | 5 | #11,997 |
| 2001 | — | — | 6 | #10,202 |
| 2000 | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — | 9 | #6,273 |
| 1990 | — | — | 18 | #3,424 |
| 1985 | — | — | 13 | #3,546 |
| 1980 | — | — | 8 | #4,831 |
| 1975 | — | — | 15 | #2,722 |
| 1970 | — | — | 15 | #2,476 |
| 1965 | — | — | 32 | #1,374 |
| 1960 | — | — | 14 | #2,288 |
| 1955 | — | — | 14 | #2,201 |
| 1950 | — | — | 22 | #1,603 |
| 1945 | — | — | 11 | #2,214 |
| 1940 | — | — | 13 | #2,060 |
| 1935 | 5 | #4,749 | 6 | #3,559 |
| 1930 | — | — | 25 | #1,489 |
| 1925 | 6 | #4,837 | 14 | #2,291 |
| 1920 | — | — | 19 | #1,867 |
| 1915 | — | — | 12 | #2,268 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Parnell mean?
Matronymic from a medieval spoken form of Petronella.
How popular is the name Parnell in 2025?
Parnell did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Parnell?
1,479 babies have been named Parnell in the United States since 1912, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Parnell most popular?
Parnell peaked in 1963, when 39 newborns received the name.
Is Parnell a boy or girl name?
Parnell is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 96% of babies with the name.
Is the name Parnell rising or falling?
Parnell is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.