Russel
A male given name transferred from the surname.
Every Russel since 1880 — 16,622 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Russel
Russel is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,020 in 2025 with 27 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 16,622 American babies have been named Russel. Its peak came in 1920, when 394 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Russel stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Russel 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 | — | — | 27 | #4,020 |
| 2024 | — | — | 23 | #4,540 |
| 2023 | — | — | 14 | #6,449 |
| 2022 | — | — | 22 | #4,672 |
| 2021 | — | — | 25 | #4,212 |
| 2020 | — | — | 28 | #3,795 |
| 2019 | — | — | 30 | #3,702 |
| 2018 | — | — | 30 | #3,686 |
| 2017 | — | — | 30 | #3,656 |
| 2016 | — | — | 20 | #4,911 |
| 2015 | — | — | 20 | #4,861 |
| 2014 | — | — | 18 | #5,221 |
| 2013 | — | — | 27 | #3,840 |
| 2012 | — | — | 27 | #3,869 |
| 2011 | — | — | 20 | #4,793 |
| 2010 | — | — | 39 | #3,001 |
| 2009 | — | — | 31 | #3,534 |
| 2008 | — | — | 30 | #3,633 |
| 2007 | — | — | 29 | #3,674 |
| 2006 | — | — | 40 | #2,870 |
| 2005 | — | — | 35 | #3,003 |
| 2004 | — | — | 33 | #3,061 |
| 2003 | — | — | 37 | #2,719 |
| 2002 | — | — | 47 | #2,243 |
| 2001 | — | — | 37 | #2,607 |
| 2000 | — | — | 36 | #2,612 |
| 1995 | — | — | 53 | #1,702 |
| 1990 | — | — | 81 | #1,224 |
| 1985 | — | — | 73 | #1,089 |
| 1980 | — | — | 120 | #803 |
| 1975 | — | — | 126 | #745 |
| 1970 | — | — | 143 | #694 |
| 1965 | — | — | 151 | #620 |
| 1960 | — | — | 218 | #537 |
| 1955 | — | — | 186 | #545 |
| 1950 | — | — | 159 | #543 |
| 1945 | — | — | 177 | #447 |
| 1940 | — | — | 152 | #469 |
| 1935 | — | — | 167 | #441 |
| 1930 | — | — | 225 | #379 |
| 1925 | — | — | 340 | #309 |
| 1920 | 5 | #5,642 | 389 | #283 |
| 1915 | — | — | 305 | #285 |
| 1910 | — | — | 50 | #363 |
| 1905 | — | — | 29 | #402 |
| 1900 | — | — | 46 | #311 |
| 1895 | — | — | 18 | #487 |
| 1890 | — | — | 15 | #506 |
| 1885 | — | — | 5 | #1,075 |
| 1880 | — | — | 8 | #735 |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Russel mean?
A male given name transferred from the surname.
How popular is the name Russel in 2025?
Russel ranked #4,020 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 27 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Russel?
16,622 babies have been named Russel in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Russel most popular?
Russel peaked in 1920, when 394 newborns received the name.
Is Russel a boy or girl name?
Russel is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Russel rising or falling?
Russel has been roughly stable over the past decade.