Unisex name · since 1893
Estel
Since 1893, U.S. Social Security records show 2,374 babies named Estel, peaking in 1921. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2,971 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 2,374
- born since 1893
- 1920s
- peak decade
2,374 boys have been named Estel since 1893, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Estel recorded 2,374 times among boys since 1893, 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 1893 to 1981.
- #2,971 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 2,374 born since 1893
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Estel ranks #2,971 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 2,374 born since 1893, peaking in the 1920s.
- #2,971 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 2,374
- born since 1893
- 1920s
- peak decade
Estel's 2,374 recorded births place it above 93.46% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
13 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Kentucky.
Estel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Estel's full recorded timeline at 1937, 32% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 68% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1969, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1921 peak of 87 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Estel popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1893–1981
- Peak year (1921)
- 87
- Annual births at peak, across 89 years of records
Estel popularity over time - girls
467 total births recorded since 1898 (Estel as girls' name)
Estel by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (690 births, 29% of the file).
1920s was Estel's strongest decade.
690 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Estel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 36
1890s
36 births
- 1900s 97
1900s
97 births
- 1910s
1910s
457 births
- 1920s
1920s
690 births
- 1930s
1930s
440 births
- 1940s
1940s
310 births
- 1950s 182
1950s
182 births
- 1960s 106
1960s
106 births
- 1970s 45
1970s
45 births
- 1980s 11
1980s
11 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 690 births (29% of all-time use).
How Estel 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 Estel's total volume
Estel by state
Where Estel concentrates geographically, total births since 1893
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Kentucky | | 276 | 11.6% |
| #2 | Tennessee | | 182 | 7.7% |
| #3 | West Virginia | | 127 | 5.3% |
| #4 | Indiana | | 121 | 5.1% |
| #5 | Missouri | | 112 | 4.7% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 99 | 4.2% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 37 | 1.6% |
| #8 | Virginia | | 30 | 1.3% |
276 of 2,374 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 13 reporting states.
Estel appears in 13 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Estel? ▼
Where does Estel sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Estel most popular? ▼
Where is Estel most popular? ▼
Is Estel a unisex name? ▼
How long has the name Estel been used? ▼
What names are similar to Estel? ▼
What to do with Estel's data
- Estel's decade-level peak was the 1920s (690 total births); usage has since declined to 11 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Kentucky records the most Estels (276 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Kentucky names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Estel
Nearby Names Like Estel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Estel
Compare Estel side by side: Estel vs Esteban Estel vs Estevan Estel vs Eston
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Estel: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1921)
Similar record span (~88 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, 1893–1981 (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 Estel 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.