Unisex name · since 1906
Burnell
Burnell has 2,790 recorded births since 1906 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1920 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2,664 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 2,790
- born since 1906
- 1920s
- peak decade
Burnell is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 2,790 have been recorded since 1906.
Social Security Administration records show Burnell recorded 2,790 times among boys since 1906, 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 1906 to 2022.
- #2,664 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 2,790 born since 1906
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Burnell ranks #2,664 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 2,790 born since 1906, peaking in the 1920s.
- #2,664 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 2,790
- born since 1906
- 1920s
- peak decade
Burnell's 2,790 recorded births place it above 94.14% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
14 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Louisiana.
Burnell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Burnell's full recorded timeline at 1959, 24% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 76% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1906, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1920 peak of 67 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Burnell popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1906–2022
- Peak year (1920)
- 67
- Annual births at peak, across 117 years of records
Burnell popularity over time - girls
593 total births recorded since 1912 (Burnell as girls' name)
Burnell by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (562 births, 20% of the file).
1920s was Burnell's strongest decade.
562 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 20% of all-time use.
Burnell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 14
1900s
14 births
- 1910s
1910s
326 births
- 1920s
1920s
562 births
- 1930s
1930s
467 births
- 1940s
1940s
410 births
- 1950s
1950s
364 births
- 1960s 216
1960s
216 births
- 1970s 148
1970s
148 births
- 1980s 122
1980s
122 births
- 1990s 88
1990s
88 births
- 2000s 29
2000s
29 births
- 2010s 34
2010s
34 births
- 2020s 10
2020s
10 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 562 births (20% of all-time use).
How Burnell 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 Burnell's total volume
Burnell by state
Where Burnell concentrates geographically, total births since 1906
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Louisiana | | 354 | 12.7% |
| #2 | Pennsylvania | | 213 | 7.6% |
| #3 | Mississippi | | 97 | 3.5% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 26 | 0.9% |
| #5 | Minnesota | | 15 | 0.5% |
| #6 | South Dakota | | 14 | 0.5% |
| #7 | Wisconsin | | 11 | 0.4% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 6 | 0.2% |
354 of 2,790 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 14 reporting states.
Burnell appears in 14 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Burnell? ▼
Where does Burnell sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Burnell most popular? ▼
Where is Burnell most popular? ▼
Is Burnell a unisex name? ▼
How long has the name Burnell been used? ▼
What names are similar to Burnell? ▼
What to do with Burnell's data
- Burnell's decade-level peak was the 1920s (562 total births); usage has since declined to 10 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Louisiana records the most Burnells (354 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 Burnell
Nearby Names Like Burnell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Burnell
Compare Burnell side by side: Burnell vs Burton Burnell vs Burl Burnell vs Burt
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Burnell: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1920)
Similar record span (~116 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, 1906–2022 (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 Burnell 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.