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.
- #6,496 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 691
- born since 1916
- 1930s
- peak 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.
- #6,496 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 691 born since 1916
- 1930s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Donel ranks #6,496 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 691 born since 1916, peaking in the 1930s.
- #6,496 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 691
- born since 1916
- 1930s
- peak decade
Donel's 691 recorded births place it above 85.7% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
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 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
1930s is the heaviest window (103 births, 15% of the file).
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
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Donel? ▼
Where does Donel sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Donel most popular? ▼
How long has the name Donel been used? ▼
What names are similar to Donel? ▼
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.
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
Compare Donel side by side: Donel vs Donald Donel vs Don Donel vs Donovan
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Donel: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1970)
Similar record span (~98 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, 1916–2014 (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 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 August 2026.