Boys' name · since 1880
Axel
Axel has 72,459 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2020 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #393 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #79 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 72,459
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
Yes -- Axel is the #79 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 72,459 recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Axel recorded 72,459 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #79 nationally today, ahead of 99.4% of boys, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #393 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #79 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 72,459 born since 1880
- 2010s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Axel ranks #393 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #79 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 72,459 born since 1880, peaking in the 2010s.
- #393 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #79 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 72,459
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
Axel's 72,459 recorded births place it above 99.13% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
51 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by California.
How Axel compares
72,459 Top 3% higher than 97% of 13,930 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
Axel's all-time total is 196x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Axel | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 72,459 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 4,667 | 34 | 22,252 |
Axel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Axel's SSA record in two at 1952 and the more recent half accounts for 98% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 2%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1940, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2020 peak of 4,667, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Axel popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2020)
- 4,667
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Axel popularity over time - girls
209 total births recorded since 2001 (Axel as girls' name)
Axel by decade
2010s is the heaviest window (31,809 births, 44% of the file).
2010s was Axel's strongest decade.
31,809 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 44% of all-time use.
Axel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 163
1880s
163 births
- 1890s 165
1890s
165 births
- 1900s 86
1900s
86 births
- 1910s 291
1910s
291 births
- 1920s 232
1920s
232 births
- 1930s 89
1930s
89 births
- 1940s 81
1940s
81 births
- 1950s 85
1950s
85 births
- 1960s 168
1960s
168 births
- 1970s 222
1970s
222 births
- 1980s 446
1980s
446 births
- 1990s 1,534
1990s
1,534 births
- 2000s 10,613
2000s
10,613 births
- 2010s
2010s
31,809 births
- 2020s
2020s
26,475 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 31,809 births (44% of all-time use).
How Axel 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 Axel's total volume
Axel by state
Where Axel concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 12,013 | 16.6% |
| #2 | Texas | | 11,518 | 15.9% |
| #3 | New York | | 3,505 | 4.8% |
| #4 | Florida | | 3,321 | 4.6% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 2,926 | 4.0% |
| #6 | Arizona | | 2,275 | 3.1% |
| #7 | Georgia | | 2,248 | 3.1% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 2,244 | 3.1% |
12,013 of 72,459 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Axel appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Axel? ▼
Where does Axel sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Axel most popular? ▼
Where is Axel most popular? ▼
How long has the name Axel been used? ▼
What names are similar to Axel? ▼
What to do with Axel's data
- Axel's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (31,809 total births) through the 2020s (26,475) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Axels (12,013 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 Axel
Nearby Names Like Axel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Axel
Compare Axel side by side: Axel vs Axell Axel vs Axeton Axel vs Axe
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Axel
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Axel: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2020)
Similar record span (~145 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, 1880–2025 (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 Axel 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.