Unisex name · since 1918
Barnell
Barnell has 97 recorded births since 1918 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1956 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #17,585 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 97
- born since 1918
- 1950s
- peak decade
97 boys have been named Barnell since 1918, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Barnell has been recorded 97 times among boys since 1918, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1950s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1918 to 1984.
- #17,585 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 97 born since 1918
- 1950s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Barnell ranks #17,585 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 97 born since 1918, peaking in the 1950s.
- #17,585 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 97
- born since 1918
- 1950s
- peak decade
Barnell's 97 recorded births place it above 61.18% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Barnell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Barnell's SSA record in two at 1955 and the more recent half accounts for 53% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 47%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1918, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1956 peak of 8, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Barnell popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1918–1984
- Peak year (1956)
- 8
- Annual births at peak, across 67 years of records
Barnell popularity over time - girls
6 total births recorded since 1936 (Barnell as girls' name)
Barnell by decade
1950s is the heaviest window (35 births, 36% of the file).
1950s was Barnell's strongest decade.
35 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 36% of all-time use.
Barnell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 5
1910s
5 births
- 1920s 12
1920s
12 births
- 1940s
1940s
23 births
- 1950s
1950s
35 births
- 1960s 6
1960s
6 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
- 1980s 11
1980s
11 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 35 births (36% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Barnell's data
- Barnell's decade-level peak was the 1950s (35 total births); usage has since declined to 11 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Barnell
Nearby Names Like Barnell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Barnell
Compare Barnell side by side: Barnell vs Barry Barnell vs Barrett Barnell vs Bart
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Barnell: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1956)
Similar record span (~66 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, 1918–1984 (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 Barnell 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.