Unisex name · since 1917
Ardel
Since 1917, U.S. Social Security records show 97 babies named Ardel, peaking in 1937. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #27,390 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 97
- born since 1917
- 1920s
- peak decade
97 girls have been named Ardel since 1917, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Ardel has 97 recorded births among girls since 1917, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1917 to 1963.
- #27,390 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 97 born since 1917
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ardel ranks #27,390 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 97 born since 1917, peaking in the 1920s.
- #27,390 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 97
- born since 1917
- 1920s
- peak decade
Ardel's 97 recorded births place it above 61.96% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Ardel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Ardel's SSA record in two at 1941 and the more recent half accounts for 46% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 54%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1919, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1937 peak of 9, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Ardel popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1917–1963
- Peak year (1937)
- 9
- Annual births at peak, across 47 years of records
Ardel popularity over time - boys
31 total births recorded since 1917 (Ardel as boys' name)
Ardel by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (20 births, 21% of the file).
1920s was Ardel's strongest decade.
20 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Ardel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
18 births
- 1920s
1920s
20 births
- 1930s
1930s
14 births
- 1940s
1940s
18 births
- 1950s
1950s
17 births
- 1960s
1960s
10 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 20 births (21% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Ardel's data
- Ardel's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (20 total births) through the 1960s (10) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Ardel
Nearby Names Like Ardel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ardel
Compare Ardel side by side: Ardel vs Arden Ardel vs Ardis Ardel vs Ardith
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Ardel: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1937)
Similar record span (~46 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1917–1963 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Ardel 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 August 2026.