Boys' name · since 1902

Harrell

Harrell has 2,635 recorded births since 1902 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1947 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.

2,635
total births
1902–2016
years on record
1920s
peak decade
18%
born in that decade

Harrell sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 2,635 recorded since 1902.

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Harrell has been recorded 2,635 times among boys since 1902, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1902 to 2016.

  • 2,635 total births
  • 1902–2016 years on record
  • 1920s peak decade
  • 18% born in that decade

Data updated Jul 2026

The verdict

2,635 boys have been named Harrell since 1902, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2016.

2,635
total births
1902–2016
years on record
1920s
peak decade
18%
born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade

18% of everyone ever named Harrell was born in this single decade.

1947
Single peak year

56 babies were named Harrell in 1947 - its busiest year on record.

Harrell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Splitting Harrell's full recorded timeline at 1955, 31% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 69% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1902, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1947 peak of 56 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.

Harrell at a glance

Last recorded 2016

Total births

2,635

Since 1902

115 years of records

Peak year

1947

56 births that year

Strongest decade: 1920s

Current rank

Unranked

Outside the modern top-1,000

As of 2016

Active since

1902

Recorded for 115 years

Last year on file: 2016

Harrell popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1902–2016

Last recorded 2016
Peak year (1947)
56
Annual births at peak, across 115 years of records
0204060 190219191932194519581971198419972016 7

Harrell by decade

Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance

1920s was Harrell's strongest decade.

471 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.

Harrell births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1920s at 471 births (18% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of July 2026

How Harrell 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 Harrell's total volume

Harrell vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Harrell vs 15 similarly-sized boys names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%5%10%15%20% 050100150200 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year Harrell
Harrell vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Harrell by state

Where Harrell concentrates geographically, total births since 1902

Geographically diffuse
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Harrell
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Texas
389 14.8%
#2 North Carolina
129 4.9%
#3 Georgia
82 3.1%
#4 Oklahoma
64 2.4%
#5 Arkansas
63 2.4%
#6 Florida
32 1.2%
#7 Tennessee
28 1.1%
#8 Alabama
16 0.6%
Texas share of Harrell's total US births 14.8%
Even split

389 of 2,635 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 12 reporting states.

Harrell appears in 12 states. Explore state details →

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Harrell?
Harrell has been given to 2,635 babies in the U.S. since 1902, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2016. 56 babies were born in 1947, its single highest year.
When was Harrell most popular?
Harrell was most popular in the 1920s decade with 471 total births. The single peak year was 1947.
Where is Harrell most popular?
The top states for the name Harrell are Texas (389 births), North Carolina (129 births), Georgia (82 births).
How long has the name Harrell been used?
Harrell has been recorded in Social Security data since 1902, spanning 115 years of data through 2016.
What names are similar to Harrell?
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Harold, Harry, Harvey, Harrison, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

What to do with Harrell's data

  • Harrell's decade-level peak was the 1920s (471 total births); usage has since declined to 20 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Texas records the most Harrells (389 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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.

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, 1902–2016 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

Cite this page

NameAlmanac Editorial. "Harrell: Baby Name Since 1902 - 2,635 Births, Peak 1947." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/harrell. 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 Harrell 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.