Total births
509
Unisex name · since 1969
Donyell
Donyell has 509 recorded births since 1969 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1974 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 509
- total births
- 1969–2017
- years on record
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 39%
- born in that decade
Donyell is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 509 have been recorded since 1969.
Social Security Administration records show Donyell recorded 509 times among boys since 1969, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1970s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1969 to 2017.
- 509 total births
- 1969–2017 years on record
- 1970s peak decade
- 39% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
509 boys have been named Donyell since 1969, peaking in the 1970s, last recorded in 2017.
- 509
- total births
- 1969–2017
- years on record
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 39%
- born in that decade
1970s
Peak decade
39% of everyone ever named Donyell was born in this single decade.
1974
Single peak year
32 babies were named Donyell in 1974 - its busiest year on record.
Donyell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Donyell splits its recorded history at 1989: 41% of all births land in the more recent half, 59% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1969 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1974 peak of 32 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Donyell at a glance
Last recorded 2017Peak year
1974
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1969
Donyell popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1969–2017
- Peak year (1974)
- 32
- Annual births at peak, across 49 years of records
Donyell popularity over time - girls
398 total births recorded since 1961 (Donyell as girls' name)
Donyell by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Donyell's strongest decade.
198 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 39% of all-time use.
Donyell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 5
1960s
5 births
- 1970s
1970s
198 births
- 1980s
1980s
105 births
- 1990s
1990s
115 births
- 2000s 76
2000s
76 births
- 2010s 10
2010s
10 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 198 births (39% of all-time use).
How Donyell 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 Donyell's total volume
Donyell vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Donyell by state
Where Donyell concentrates geographically, total births since 1969
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Donyell? ▼
Donyell has been given to 509 babies in the U.S. since 1969, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2017. 32 babies were born in 1974, its single highest year.
When was Donyell most popular? ▼
Donyell was most popular in the 1970s decade with 198 total births. The single peak year was 1974.
Where is Donyell most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Donyell are Illinois (10 births), Michigan (5 births).
Is Donyell a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Donyell is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 509 births, and as a girl's name it has 398 births.
How long has the name Donyell been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Donyell since 1969 -- 49 years through the most recent 2017 data.
What names are similar to Donyell? ▼
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 Donyell's data
- Donyell's decade-level peak was the 1970s (198 total births); usage has since declined to 10 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Illinois records the most Donyells (10 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 Donyell
Nearby Names Like Donyell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Donyell
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 Donyell side by side: Donyell vs Donald Donyell vs Don Donyell 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, 1969–2017 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Donyell: Baby Name Since 1969 - 509 Births, Peak 1974." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/donyell. 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 Donyell 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.