Unisex name · since 1912
Bernell
Bernell has 1,558 recorded births since 1912 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1923 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #3,845 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,558
- born since 1912
- 1920s
- peak decade
Bernell sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 1,558 recorded since 1912.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Bernell has been recorded 1,558 times among boys since 1912, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1912 to 2019.
- #3,845 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 1,558 born since 1912
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Bernell ranks #3,845 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,558 born since 1912, peaking in the 1920s.
- #3,845 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,558
- born since 1912
- 1920s
- peak decade
Bernell's 1,558 recorded births place it above 91.54% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
6 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Louisiana.
Bernell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Bernell's full recorded timeline at 1956, 37% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 63% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 2011, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1923 peak of 39 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Bernell popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1912–2019
- Peak year (1923)
- 39
- Annual births at peak, across 108 years of records
Bernell popularity over time - girls
750 total births recorded since 1915 (Bernell as girls' name)
Bernell by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (251 births, 16% of the file).
1920s was Bernell's strongest decade.
251 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 16% of all-time use.
Bernell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
117 births
- 1920s
1920s
251 births
- 1930s
1930s
235 births
- 1940s
1940s
219 births
- 1950s
1950s
245 births
- 1960s
1960s
166 births
- 1970s
1970s
127 births
- 1980s
1980s
114 births
- 1990s 62
1990s
62 births
- 2000s 6
2000s
6 births
- 2010s 16
2010s
16 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 251 births (16% of all-time use).
How Bernell 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 Bernell's total volume
Bernell by state
Where Bernell concentrates geographically, total births since 1912
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Louisiana | | 180 | 11.6% |
| #2 | Illinois | | 16 | 1.0% |
| #3 | Mississippi | | 6 | 0.4% |
| #4 | Arkansas | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #5 | Missouri | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #6 | North Carolina | | 5 | 0.3% |
180 of 1,558 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 6 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Bernell's data
- Bernell's decade-level peak was the 1920s (251 total births); usage has since declined to 16 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Louisiana records the most Bernells (180 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Louisiana names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Bernell
Nearby Names Like Bernell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Bernell
Compare Bernell side by side: Bernell vs Bernard Bernell vs Bert Bernell vs Bernardo
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Bernell: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1923)
Similar record span (~107 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, 1912–2019 (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 Bernell 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.