Boys' name · since 1894
Arvel
Since 1894, U.S. Social Security records show 2,202 babies named Arvel, peaking in 1921. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #3,097 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 2,202
- born since 1894
- 1920s
- peak decade
2,202 boys have been named Arvel since 1894, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Arvel has 2,202 recorded births among boys since 1894, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys 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 1894 to 2006.
- #3,097 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 2,202 born since 1894
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Arvel ranks #3,097 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 2,202 born since 1894, peaking in the 1920s.
- #3,097 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 2,202
- born since 1894
- 1920s
- peak decade
Arvel's 2,202 recorded births place it above 93.18% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
11 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Kentucky.
Arvel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Arvel splits its recorded history at 1941: 30% of all births land in the more recent half, 70% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1903 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1921 peak of 77 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Arvel popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1894–2006
- Peak year (1921)
- 77
- Annual births at peak, across 113 years of records
Arvel by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (591 births, 27% of the file).
1920s was Arvel's strongest decade.
591 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 27% of all-time use.
Arvel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 20
1890s
20 births
- 1900s 66
1900s
66 births
- 1910s
1910s
433 births
- 1920s
1920s
591 births
- 1930s
1930s
401 births
- 1940s
1940s
291 births
- 1950s 158
1950s
158 births
- 1960s 127
1960s
127 births
- 1970s 84
1970s
84 births
- 1980s 14
1980s
14 births
- 1990s 12
1990s
12 births
- 2000s 5
2000s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 591 births (27% of all-time use).
How Arvel 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 Arvel's total volume
Arvel by state
Where Arvel concentrates geographically, total births since 1894
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Kentucky | | 175 | 7.9% |
| #2 | Texas | | 159 | 7.2% |
| #3 | Oklahoma | | 100 | 4.5% |
| #4 | Arkansas | | 82 | 3.7% |
| #5 | Tennessee | | 68 | 3.1% |
| #6 | Missouri | | 47 | 2.1% |
| #7 | Alabama | | 35 | 1.6% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 22 | 1.0% |
175 of 2,202 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 11 reporting states.
Arvel appears in 11 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Arvel's data
- Arvel's decade-level peak was the 1920s (591 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Kentucky records the most Arvels (175 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Kentucky names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Arvel
Nearby Names Like Arvel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Arvel
Compare Arvel side by side: Arvel vs Arvin Arvel vs Arvid Arvel vs Arvil
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Arvel: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1921)
Similar record span (~112 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, 1894–2006 (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 Arvel 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.