Total births
280
Boys' name · since 1916
Duel
Duel has 280 recorded births since 1916 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1930 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 280
- total births
- 1916–1997
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 30%
- born in that decade
Duel is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 280 have been recorded since 1916.
Social Security Administration records show Duel recorded 280 times among boys since 1916, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1916 to 1997.
- 280 total births
- 1916–1997 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 30% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
280 boys have been named Duel since 1916, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1997.
- 280
- total births
- 1916–1997
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 30%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
30% of everyone ever named Duel was born in this single decade.
1930
Single peak year
12 babies were named Duel in 1930 - its busiest year on record.
Duel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Duel's full recorded timeline at 1934, 43% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 57% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1928, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1930 peak of 12 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Duel at a glance
Last recorded 1997Peak year
1930
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1916
Duel popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1916–1997
- Peak year (1930)
- 12
- Annual births at peak, across 82 years of records
Duel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Duel's strongest decade.
85 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 30% of all-time use.
Duel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
36 births
- 1920s
1920s
85 births
- 1930s
1930s
75 births
- 1940s
1940s
39 births
- 1950s 6
1950s
6 births
- 1970s 7
1970s
7 births
- 1980s 5
1980s
5 births
- 1990s 27
1990s
27 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 85 births (30% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Duel? ▼
Since 1916, Social Security records show 280 babies named Duel. The most recent recorded year was 1997. Its busiest year on record was 1930, with 12 births.
When was Duel most popular? ▼
Duel was most popular in the 1920s decade with 85 total births. The single peak year was 1930.
How long has the name Duel been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Duel since 1916 -- 82 years through the most recent 1997 data.
What names are similar to Duel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Duell, Duey, Duece. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Duel's data
- Duel's decade-level peak was the 1920s (85 total births); usage has since declined to 27 in the 1990s -- 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 Duel
Nearby Names Like Duel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Duel
Compare Duel side by side: Duel vs Duell Duel vs Duey Duel vs Duece
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1916–1997 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Duel: Baby Name Since 1916 - 280 Births, Peak 1930." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/duel. 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 Duel 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.