Total births
1,508
Unisex name · since 1914
Adel
Adel has 1,508 recorded births since 1914 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2007 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #3171
- among boys today
- 1,508
- born since 1914
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 78%
- more common than other boys
Adel currently ranks #3171 among unisex names in America, with 1,508 babies recorded since 1914.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Adel has been recorded 1,508 times among boys since 1914, currently ranked #3171 nationally and more common than 78% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2000s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1914 to 2025.
- #3171 among boys today
- 1,508 born since 1914
- 2000s peak decade
- 78% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Adel is currently the #3171 unisex name in America, more common than 78% of boys - 1,508 born since 1914, peaking in the 2000s.
- #3171
- among boys today
- 1,508
- born since 1914
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 78%
- more common than other boys
Adel vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#3171
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 78% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
26% of everyone ever named Adel was born in this single decade.
2007
Single peak year
52 babies were named Adel in 2007 - its busiest year on record.
How Adel compares
1,508 Top 25% higher than 75% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Adel's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Adel | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,508 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 52 | 23 | 22,252 |
Adel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Adel's SSA record in two at 1995 and the more recent half accounts for 75% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 25%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1914, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2007 peak of 52, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Adel at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2007
Current rank
#3,171
Active since
1914
Adel popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1914–2025
- Peak year (2007)
- 52
- Annual births at peak, across 112 years of records
Adel popularity over time - girls
1,494 total births recorded since 1888 (Adel as girls' name)
Adel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Adel's strongest decade.
392 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Adel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 10
1910s
10 births
- 1920s 6
1920s
6 births
- 1930s 11
1930s
11 births
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1960s 24
1960s
24 births
- 1970s 43
1970s
43 births
- 1980s 149
1980s
149 births
- 1990s
1990s
283 births
- 2000s
2000s
392 births
- 2010s
2010s
388 births
- 2020s
2020s
197 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 392 births (26% of all-time use).
How Adel compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Adel's total volume
Adel vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Adel by state
Where Adel concentrates geographically, total births since 1914
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 168 | 11.1% |
| #2 | New York | | 162 | 10.7% |
| #3 | Texas | | 37 | 2.5% |
| #4 | Florida | | 28 | 1.9% |
| #5 | Michigan | | 28 | 1.9% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 6 | 0.4% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 6 | 0.4% |
California share of Adel's total US births 11.1%
Even split
168 of 1,508 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 7 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Adel? ▼
Adel has been given to 1,508 babies in the U.S. since 1914, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #3171 as of the latest data. 52 babies were born in 2007, its single highest year.
When was Adel most popular? ▼
Adel was most popular in the 2000s decade with 392 total births. The single peak year was 2007.
Where is Adel most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Adel are California (168 births), New York (162 births), Texas (37 births).
Is Adel a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Adel is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 1,508 births, and as a girl's name it has 1,494 births.
How long has the name Adel been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Adel since 1914 -- 112 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Adel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Aden, Adelbert, Adem, Adell, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Adel's data
- Adel's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (392 total births) through the 2020s (197) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Adels (168 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Adel
Nearby Names Like Adel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Adel
Aden Boy
#998 21,854 births
Adelbert Boy
2,373 births
Adem Boy
#2890 1,229 births
Adell Boy
1,049 births
Adelard Boy
488 births
Compare Adel side by side: Adel vs Aden Adel vs Adelbert Adel vs Adem
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Adel
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1914–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Adel: #3171 Unisex Name - 1,508 Births, Peak 2007." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/adel. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Adel draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.