Boys' name · since 1913
Arnel
Since 1913, U.S. Social Security records show 808 babies named Arnel, peaking in 1970. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #5,868 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 808
- born since 1913
- 2000s
- peak decade
Arnel sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 808 recorded since 1913.
Social Security Administration records show Arnel recorded 808 times among boys since 1913, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1913 to 2021.
- #5,868 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 808 born since 1913
- 2000s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Arnel ranks #5,868 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 808 born since 1913, peaking in the 2000s.
- #5,868 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 808
- born since 1913
- 2000s
- peak decade
Arnel's 808 recorded births place it above 87.08% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by California.
Arnel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Arnel's full recorded timeline at 1977, 56% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 44% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1916, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1970 peak of 20 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Arnel popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1913–2021
- Peak year (1970)
- 20
- Annual births at peak, across 109 years of records
Arnel popularity over time - girls
22 total births recorded since 1962 (Arnel as girls' name)
Arnel by decade
2000s is the heaviest window (133 births, 16% of the file).
2000s was Arnel's strongest decade.
133 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 16% of all-time use.
Arnel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 33
1910s
33 births
- 1920s
1920s
63 births
- 1930s
1930s
65 births
- 1940s 21
1940s
21 births
- 1950s 15
1950s
15 births
- 1960s
1960s
66 births
- 1970s
1970s
116 births
- 1980s
1980s
115 births
- 1990s
1990s
117 births
- 2000s
2000s
133 births
- 2010s
2010s
56 births
- 2020s 8
2020s
8 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 133 births (16% of all-time use).
How Arnel 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 Arnel's total volume
Arnel by state
Where Arnel concentrates geographically, total births since 1913
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 96 | 11.9% |
| #2 | Kentucky | | 10 | 1.2% |
96 of 808 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Arnel's data
- Arnel's decade-level peak was the 2000s (133 total births); usage has since declined to 8 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Arnels (96 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Arnel
Nearby Names Like Arnel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Arnel
Compare Arnel side by side: Arnel vs Arnold Arnel vs Arnulfo Arnel vs Arnoldo
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Arnel: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1970)
Similar record span (~108 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, 1913–2021 (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 Arnel 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.