Total births
1,135
Boys' name · since 1888
Buel
Buel has 1,135 recorded births since 1888 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1922 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 1,135
- total births
- 1888–1972
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 35%
- born in that decade
1,135 boys have been named Buel since 1888, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Buel recorded 1,135 times among boys since 1888, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1888 to 1972.
- 1,135 total births
- 1888–1972 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 35% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
1,135 boys have been named Buel since 1888, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1972.
- 1,135
- total births
- 1888–1972
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 35%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
35% of everyone ever named Buel was born in this single decade.
1922
Single peak year
65 babies were named Buel in 1922 - its busiest year on record.
Buel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Buel splits its recorded history at 1934: 32% of all births land in the more recent half, 68% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1888 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1922 peak of 65 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Buel at a glance
Last recorded 1972Peak year
1922
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1888
Buel popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1888–1972
- Peak year (1922)
- 65
- Annual births at peak, across 85 years of records
Buel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Buel's strongest decade.
397 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 35% of all-time use.
Buel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 5
1880s
5 births
- 1890s 14
1890s
14 births
- 1900s 31
1900s
31 births
- 1910s
1910s
215 births
- 1920s
1920s
397 births
- 1930s
1930s
213 births
- 1940s 140
1940s
140 births
- 1950s 79
1950s
79 births
- 1960s 36
1960s
36 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 397 births (35% of all-time use).
How Buel 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 Buel's total volume
Buel vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Buel by state
Where Buel concentrates geographically, total births since 1888
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Kentucky | | 81 | 7.1% |
| #2 | Missouri | | 42 | 3.7% |
| #3 | Arkansas | | 32 | 2.8% |
| #4 | Alabama | | 29 | 2.6% |
| #5 | Texas | | 27 | 2.4% |
| #6 | Oklahoma | | 24 | 2.1% |
| #7 | North Carolina | | 8 | 0.7% |
Kentucky share of Buel's total US births 7.1%
Even split
81 of 1,135 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 7 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Buel? ▼
Buel has been given to 1,135 babies in the U.S. since 1888, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1972. 65 babies were born in 1922, its single highest year.
When was Buel most popular? ▼
Buel was most popular in the 1920s decade with 397 total births. The single peak year was 1922.
Where is Buel most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Buel are Kentucky (81 births), Missouri (42 births), Arkansas (32 births).
How long has the name Buel been used? ▼
Buel has been recorded in Social Security data since 1888, spanning 85 years of data through 1972.
What names are similar to Buel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Buell, Bueford, Buenaventura. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Buel's data
- Buel's decade-level peak was the 1920s (397 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1970s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Kentucky records the most Buels (81 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Kentucky names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Buel
Nearby Names Like Buel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Buel
Compare Buel side by side: Buel vs Buell Buel vs Bueford Buel vs Buenaventura
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1888–1972 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Buel: Baby Name Since 1888 - 1,135 Births, Peak 1922." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/buel. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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 Buel 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 June 2026.