Total births
11,347
Boys' name · since 1890
Cornell
Cornell has 11,347 recorded births since 1890 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1962 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #4438
- among boys today
- 11,347
- born since 1890
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 69%
- more common than other boys
Cornell currently ranks #4438 among boys' names in America, with 11,347 babies recorded since 1890.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Cornell has been recorded 11,347 times among boys since 1890, currently ranked #4438 nationally and more common than 69% of boys, 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 1890 to 2025.
- #4438 among boys today
- 11,347 born since 1890
- 1950s peak decade
- 69% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Cornell is currently the #4438 boys' name in America, more common than 69% of boys - 11,347 born since 1890, peaking in the 1950s.
- #4438
- among boys today
- 11,347
- born since 1890
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 69%
- more common than other boys
Cornell vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4438
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 69% of names given to boys today.
1950s
Peak decade
18% of everyone ever named Cornell was born in this single decade.
1962
Single peak year
241 babies were named Cornell in 1962 - its busiest year on record.
How Cornell compares
11,347 Top 8% higher than 92% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys 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
Cornell's all-time total is 31x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Cornell | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 11,347 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 241 | 23 | 22,252 |
Cornell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Cornell's SSA record in two at 1964 and the more recent half accounts for 55% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 45%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1896, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1962 peak of 241, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Cornell at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1962
Current rank
#4,438
Active since
1890
Cornell popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1890–2025
- Peak year (1962)
- 241
- Annual births at peak, across 136 years of records
Cornell popularity over time - girls
348 total births recorded since 1915 (Cornell as girls' name)
Cornell by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Cornell's strongest decade.
2,011 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.
Cornell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 11
1890s
11 births
- 1900s 37
1900s
37 births
- 1910s 310
1910s
310 births
- 1920s 443
1920s
443 births
- 1930s 522
1930s
522 births
- 1940s
1940s
1,004 births
- 1950s
1950s
2,011 births
- 1960s
1960s
1,773 births
- 1970s
1970s
1,514 births
- 1980s
1980s
1,326 births
- 1990s
1990s
949 births
- 2000s 768
2000s
768 births
- 2010s 529
2010s
529 births
- 2020s 150
2020s
150 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 2,011 births (18% of all-time use).
How Cornell 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 Cornell's total volume
Cornell vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Cornell by state
Where Cornell concentrates geographically, total births since 1890
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Illinois | | 878 | 7.7% |
| #2 | Louisiana | | 740 | 6.5% |
| #3 | California | | 593 | 5.2% |
| #4 | New York | | 547 | 4.8% |
| #5 | Michigan | | 484 | 4.3% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 396 | 3.5% |
| #7 | South Carolina | | 384 | 3.4% |
| #8 | Texas | | 361 | 3.2% |
Illinois share of Cornell's total US births 7.7%
Even split
878 of 11,347 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 28 reporting states.
Cornell appears in 28 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Cornell? ▼
11,347 babies have been named Cornell since 1890. It currently ranks #4438 among boys. The peak year was 1962 with 241 births.
When was Cornell most popular? ▼
Cornell was most popular in the 1950s decade with 2,011 total births. The single peak year was 1962.
Where is Cornell most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Cornell are Illinois (878 births), Louisiana (740 births), California (593 births).
How long has the name Cornell been used? ▼
Records for Cornell go back to 1890, giving 136 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Cornell? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Corey, Cory, Corbin, Cornelius, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Cornell's data
- Cornell's decade-level peak was the 1950s (2,011 total births); usage has since declined to 150 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Illinois records the most Cornells (878 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Illinois 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 Cornell
Nearby Names Like Cornell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Cornell
Corey Boy
#677 185,020 births
Cory Boy
#1096 127,179 births
Corbin Boy
#474 41,112 births
Cornelius Boy
#2157 36,407 births
Cortez Boy
#1998 10,899 births
Compare Cornell side by side: Cornell vs Corey Cornell vs Cory Cornell vs Corbin
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Cornell
Alfonzo #4437
5,783 births · Peak 1970
Silver #4439
528 births · Peak 2024
Leeroy #4436
4,404 births · Peak 1927
Amador #4440
3,372 births · Peak 1992
Jens #4435
2,456 births · Peak 1966
Faustino #4441
3,812 births · Peak 1991
Russel #4434
16,610 births · Peak 1920
Joachim #4442
1,203 births · Peak 2006
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, 1890–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Cornell: #4438 Boys' Name - 11,347 Births, Peak 1962." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/cornell. 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 Cornell 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.