Total births
691
Boys' name · since 1916
Donel
Since 1916, U.S. Social Security records show 691 babies named Donel, peaking in 1970. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 691
- total births
- 1916–2014
- years on record
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 15%
- born in that decade
Donel sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 691 recorded since 1916.
Social Security Administration records show Donel recorded 691 times among boys since 1916, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1930s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1916 to 2014.
- 691 total births
- 1916–2014 years on record
- 1930s peak decade
- 15% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
691 boys have been named Donel since 1916, peaking in the 1930s, last recorded in 2014.
- 691
- total births
- 1916–2014
- years on record
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 15%
- born in that decade
1930s
Peak decade
15% of everyone ever named Donel was born in this single decade.
1970
Single peak year
18 babies were named Donel in 1970 - its busiest year on record.
Donel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Donel's SSA record in two at 1961 and the more recent half accounts for 47% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 53%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1918, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1970 peak of 18, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Donel at a glance
Last recorded 2014Peak year
1970
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1916
Donel popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1916–2014
- Peak year (1970)
- 18
- Annual births at peak, across 99 years of records
Donel popularity over time - girls
30 total births recorded since 1954 (Donel as girls' name)
Donel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1930s was Donel's strongest decade.
103 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 15% of all-time use.
Donel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 18
1910s
18 births
- 1920s
1920s
52 births
- 1930s
1930s
103 births
- 1940s
1940s
92 births
- 1950s
1950s
96 births
- 1960s
1960s
88 births
- 1970s
1970s
91 births
- 1980s
1980s
62 births
- 1990s
1990s
57 births
- 2000s 16
2000s
16 births
- 2010s 16
2010s
16 births
What this shows Peak: 1930s at 103 births (15% of all-time use).
How Donel 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 Donel's total volume
Donel vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Donel? ▼
691 babies have been named Donel since 1916. It was last recorded in 2014. The peak year was 1970 with 18 births.
When was Donel most popular? ▼
Donel was most popular in the 1930s decade with 103 total births. The single peak year was 1970.
How long has the name Donel been used? ▼
Donel has been recorded in Social Security data since 1916, spanning 99 years of data through 2014.
What names are similar to Donel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Donald, Don, Donovan, Donnie, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Donel's data
- Donel's decade-level peak was the 1930s (103 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.
- 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 Donel
Nearby Names Like Donel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Donel
Donald Boy
#673 1,414,824 births
Don Boy
#1776 167,632 births
Donovan Boy
#506 61,684 births
Donnie Boy
#1769 60,928 births
Donte Boy
#1964 15,695 births
Compare Donel side by side: Donel vs Donald Donel vs Don Donel vs Donovan
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1916–2014 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Donel: Baby Name Since 1916 - 691 Births, Peak 1970." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/donel. 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 Donel 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 July 2026.