Girls' name · since 1880
Idell
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 3,425 babies named Idell, peaking in 1921. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #3,303 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 3,425
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
Idell is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 3,425 have been recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Idell recorded 3,425 times among girls since 1880, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls 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 1880 to 1981.
- #3,303 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 3,425 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Idell ranks #3,303 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 3,425 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #3,303 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 3,425
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
Idell's 3,425 recorded births place it above 95.43% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
16 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Alabama.
Idell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Idell splits its recorded history at 1929: 33% of all births land in the more recent half, 67% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1968 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1921 peak of 125 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Idell popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–1981
- Peak year (1921)
- 125
- Annual births at peak, across 102 years of records
Idell popularity over time - boys
38 total births recorded since 1902 (Idell as boys' name)
Idell by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (946 births, 28% of the file).
1920s was Idell's strongest decade.
946 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Idell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 33
1880s
33 births
- 1890s 152
1890s
152 births
- 1900s 305
1900s
305 births
- 1910s
1910s
924 births
- 1920s
1920s
946 births
- 1930s
1930s
470 births
- 1940s 282
1940s
282 births
- 1950s 204
1950s
204 births
- 1960s 92
1960s
92 births
- 1970s 11
1970s
11 births
- 1980s 6
1980s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 946 births (28% of all-time use).
How Idell compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Idell's total volume
Idell by state
Where Idell concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Alabama | | 286 | 8.4% |
| #2 | Louisiana | | 256 | 7.5% |
| #3 | Mississippi | | 245 | 7.2% |
| #4 | Georgia | | 206 | 6.0% |
| #5 | South Carolina | | 163 | 4.8% |
| #6 | North Carolina | | 147 | 4.3% |
| #7 | Texas | | 141 | 4.1% |
| #8 | Arkansas | | 100 | 2.9% |
286 of 3,425 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 16 reporting states.
Idell appears in 16 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Idell? ▼
Where does Idell sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Idell most popular? ▼
Where is Idell most popular? ▼
How long has the name Idell been used? ▼
What names are similar to Idell? ▼
What to do with Idell's data
- Idell's decade-level peak was the 1920s (946 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Alabama records the most Idells (286 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Alabama names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Idell
Nearby Names Like Idell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Idell
Compare Idell side by side: Idell vs Idella Idell vs Idelle Idell vs Idelia
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Idell: 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 (~101 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, 1880–1981 (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 Idell 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.