Total births
1,524
Girls' name · since 1967
Channel
Channel has 1,524 recorded births since 1967 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1991 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #12408
- among girls today
- 1,524
- born since 1967
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 30%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Channel is the #12408 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 1,524 recorded since 1967.
Social Security Administration records show Channel recorded 1,524 times among girls since 1967, holding rank #12408 nationally today, ahead of 30% of girls, peaking in the 1980s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1967 to 2024.
- #12408 among girls today
- 1,524 born since 1967
- 1980s peak decade
- 30% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Channel is currently the #12408 girls' name in America, more common than 30% of girls - 1,524 born since 1967, peaking in the 1980s.
- #12408
- among girls today
- 1,524
- born since 1967
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 30%
- more common than other girls
Channel vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#12408
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 30% of names given to girls today.
1980s
Peak decade
34% of everyone ever named Channel was born in this single decade.
1991
Single peak year
85 babies were named Channel in 1991 - its busiest year on record.
How Channel compares
1,524 Top 25% higher than 75% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Channel's all-time total is 4x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Channel | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,524 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 85 | 48 | 19,840 |
Channel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Channel's SSA record in two at 1995 and the more recent half accounts for 28% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 72%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1967, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1991 peak of 85, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Channel at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1991
Current rank
#12,408
Active since
1967
Channel popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1967–2024
- Peak year (1991)
- 85
- Annual births at peak, across 58 years of records
Channel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Channel's strongest decade.
513 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Channel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 18
1960s
18 births
- 1970s
1970s
230 births
- 1980s
1980s
513 births
- 1990s
1990s
459 births
- 2000s 179
2000s
179 births
- 2010s 93
2010s
93 births
- 2020s 32
2020s
32 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 513 births (34% of all-time use).
How Channel compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Channel's total volume
Channel vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Channel by state
Where Channel concentrates geographically, total births since 1967
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 165 | 10.8% |
| #2 | New York | | 155 | 10.2% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 57 | 3.7% |
| #4 | Florida | | 30 | 2.0% |
| #5 | Michigan | | 20 | 1.3% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 11 | 0.7% |
| #7 | New Jersey | | 10 | 0.7% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 10 | 0.7% |
California share of Channel's total US births 10.8%
Even split
165 of 1,524 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 11 reporting states.
Channel appears in 11 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Channel? ▼
1,524 babies have been named Channel since 1967. It currently ranks #12408 among girls. The peak year was 1991 with 85 births.
When was Channel most popular? ▼
Channel was most popular in the 1980s decade with 513 total births. The single peak year was 1991.
Where is Channel most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Channel are California (165 births), New York (155 births), Illinois (57 births).
How long has the name Channel been used? ▼
Records for Channel go back to 1967, giving 58 years of history through 2024.
What names are similar to Channel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Charlotte, Charlene, Charlie, Charity, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Channel's data
- Channel's decade-level peak was the 1980s (513 total births); usage has since declined to 32 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Channels (165 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Channel
Nearby Names Like Channel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Channel
Charlotte Girl
#4 453,433 births
Charlene Girl
#1755 133,729 births
Charlie Girl
#140 40,359 births
Charity Girl
#2041 35,518 births
Chasity Girl
#4059 24,414 births
Compare Channel side by side: Channel vs Charlotte Channel vs Charlene Channel vs Charlie
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Channel
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, 1967–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Channel: #12408 Girls' Name - 1,524 Births, Peak 1991." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/channel. 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 Channel 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.