Total births
2,635
Unisex name · since 1889
Ardell
2,635 babies named Ardell in U.S. Social Security records since 1889, with the highest year being 1922. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 2,635
- total births
- 1889–1977
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 29%
- born in that decade
2,635 girls have been named Ardell since 1889, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Ardell has 2,635 recorded births among girls since 1889, 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 1889 to 1977.
- 2,635 total births
- 1889–1977 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 29% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
2,635 girls have been named Ardell since 1889, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1977.
- 2,635
- total births
- 1889–1977
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 29%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
29% of everyone ever named Ardell was born in this single decade.
1922
Single peak year
96 babies were named Ardell in 1922 - its busiest year on record.
Ardell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Ardell splits its recorded history at 1931: 45% of all births land in the more recent half, 55% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1889 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1922 peak of 96 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Ardell at a glance
Last recorded 1977Peak year
1922
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1889
Ardell popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1889–1977
- Peak year (1922)
- 96
- Annual births at peak, across 89 years of records
Ardell popularity over time - boys
2,435 total births recorded since 1907 (Ardell as boys' name)
Ardell by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Ardell's strongest decade.
763 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Ardell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 5
1880s
5 births
- 1890s 52
1890s
52 births
- 1900s 104
1900s
104 births
- 1910s
1910s
474 births
- 1920s
1920s
763 births
- 1930s
1930s
556 births
- 1940s
1940s
344 births
- 1950s 240
1950s
240 births
- 1960s 87
1960s
87 births
- 1970s 10
1970s
10 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 763 births (29% of all-time use).
How Ardell compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Ardell's total volume
Ardell vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Ardell by state
Where Ardell concentrates geographically, total births since 1889
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Minnesota | | 246 | 9.3% |
| #2 | Wisconsin | | 132 | 5.0% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 80 | 3.0% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 39 | 1.5% |
| #5 | South Dakota | | 34 | 1.3% |
| #6 | North Dakota | | 23 | 0.9% |
| #7 | Mississippi | | 22 | 0.8% |
| #8 | Alabama | | 17 | 0.6% |
Minnesota share of Ardell's total US births 9.3%
Even split
246 of 2,635 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 20 reporting states.
Ardell appears in 20 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ardell? ▼
Ardell has been given to 2,635 babies in the U.S. since 1889, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1977. 96 babies were born in 1922, its single highest year.
When was Ardell most popular? ▼
Ardell was most popular in the 1920s decade with 763 total births. The single peak year was 1922.
Where is Ardell most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ardell are Minnesota (246 births), Wisconsin (132 births), Illinois (80 births).
Is Ardell a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Ardell is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 2,635 births, and as a boy's name it has 2,435 births.
How long has the name Ardell been used? ▼
Records for Ardell go back to 1889, giving 89 years of history through 1977.
What names are similar to Ardell? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Arden, Ardis, Ardith, Ardella, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Ardell's data
- Ardell's decade-level peak was the 1920s (763 total births); usage has since declined to 10 in the 1970s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Minnesota records the most Ardells (246 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Minnesota 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 Ardell
Nearby Names Like Ardell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ardell
Arden Girl
#1042 7,518 births
Ardis Girl
6,386 births
Ardith Girl
5,581 births
Ardella Girl
3,478 births
Ardelle Girl
1,500 births
Compare Ardell side by side: Ardell vs Arden Ardell vs Ardis Ardell vs Ardith
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1889–1977 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ardell: Baby Name Since 1889 - 2,635 Births, Peak 1922." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ardell. 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 Ardell 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.