Girls' name · since 1950
Jenel
Since 1950, U.S. Social Security records show 510 babies named Jenel, peaking in 1982. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #11,702 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 510
- born since 1950
- 1980s
- peak decade
510 girls have been named Jenel since 1950, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Jenel recorded 510 times among girls since 1950, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1980s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1950 to 2007.
- #11,702 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 510 born since 1950
- 1980s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Jenel ranks #11,702 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 510 born since 1950, peaking in the 1980s.
- #11,702 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 510
- born since 1950
- 1980s
- peak decade
Jenel's 510 recorded births place it above 83.81% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by New York.
Jenel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Jenel splits its recorded history at 1983: 48% of all births land in the more recent half, 52% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1960 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1982 peak of 26 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Jenel popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1950–2007
- Peak year (1982)
- 26
- Annual births at peak, across 58 years of records
Jenel by decade
1980s is the heaviest window (172 births, 34% of the file).
1980s was Jenel's strongest decade.
172 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Jenel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 7
1950s
7 births
- 1960s 51
1960s
51 births
- 1970s
1970s
143 births
- 1980s
1980s
172 births
- 1990s
1990s
96 births
- 2000s 41
2000s
41 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 172 births (34% of all-time use).
How Jenel 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 Jenel's total volume
Jenel by state
Where Jenel concentrates geographically, total births since 1950
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 17 | 3.3% |
| #2 | California | | 12 | 2.4% |
17 of 510 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Jenel? ▼
Where does Jenel sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Jenel most popular? ▼
Where is Jenel most popular? ▼
How long has the name Jenel been used? ▼
What names are similar to Jenel? ▼
What to do with Jenel's data
- Jenel's decade-level peak was the 1980s (172 total births); usage has since declined to 41 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Jenels (17 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Jenel
Nearby Names Like Jenel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Jenel
Compare Jenel side by side: Jenel vs Jennifer Jenel vs Jenna Jenel vs Jennie
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Jenel: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1982)
Similar record span (~57 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, 1950–2007 (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 Jenel 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.