Total births
2,992
Girls' name · since 1952
Kristel
Kristel has 2,992 recorded births since 1952 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1982 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #3414
- among girls today
- 2,992
- born since 1952
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 81%
- more common than other girls
Kristel currently ranks #3414 among girls' names in America, with 2,992 babies recorded since 1952.
Social Security Administration records show Kristel recorded 2,992 times among girls since 1952, holding rank #3414 nationally today, ahead of 81% of girls, 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 1952 to 2025.
- #3414 among girls today
- 2,992 born since 1952
- 1980s peak decade
- 81% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kristel is currently the #3414 girls' name in America, more common than 81% of girls - 2,992 born since 1952, peaking in the 1980s.
- #3414
- among girls today
- 2,992
- born since 1952
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 81%
- more common than other girls
Kristel vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#3414
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 81% of names given to girls today.
1980s
Peak decade
30% of everyone ever named Kristel was born in this single decade.
1982
Single peak year
145 babies were named Kristel in 1982 - its busiest year on record.
How Kristel compares
2,992 Top 18% higher than 82% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Kristel's all-time total is 8x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kristel | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,992 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 145 | 48 | 19,840 |
Kristel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Kristel's SSA record in two at 1990 and the more recent half accounts for 39% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 61%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1952, with only 6 births recorded -- set against the 1982 peak of 145, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Kristel at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1982
Current rank
#3,414
Active since
1952
Kristel popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1952–2025
- Peak year (1982)
- 145
- Annual births at peak, across 74 years of records
Kristel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Kristel's strongest decade.
896 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 30% of all-time use.
Kristel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 54
1950s
54 births
- 1960s 219
1960s
219 births
- 1970s
1970s
670 births
- 1980s
1980s
896 births
- 1990s 287
1990s
287 births
- 2000s 191
2000s
191 births
- 2010s
2010s
418 births
- 2020s 257
2020s
257 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 896 births (30% of all-time use).
How Kristel 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 Kristel's total volume
Kristel vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Kristel by state
Where Kristel concentrates geographically, total births since 1952
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 321 | 10.7% |
| #2 | Texas | | 270 | 9.0% |
| #3 | New York | | 91 | 3.0% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 34 | 1.1% |
| #5 | Florida | | 27 | 0.9% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 26 | 0.9% |
| #7 | New Jersey | | 24 | 0.8% |
| #8 | Virginia | | 18 | 0.6% |
California share of Kristel's total US births 10.7%
Even split
321 of 2,992 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 22 reporting states.
Kristel appears in 22 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kristel? ▼
Kristel has been given to 2,992 babies in the U.S. since 1952, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #3414 as of the latest data. 145 babies were born in 1982, its single highest year.
When was Kristel most popular? ▼
Kristel was most popular in the 1980s decade with 896 total births. The single peak year was 1982.
Where is Kristel most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kristel are California (321 births), Texas (270 births), New York (91 births).
How long has the name Kristel been used? ▼
Kristel has been recorded in Social Security data since 1952, spanning 74 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Kristel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kristen, Kristin, Kristina, Kristine, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Kristel's data
- Kristel's decade-level peak was the 1980s (896 total births); usage has since declined to 257 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Kristels (321 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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.
Keep exploring Kristel
Nearby Names Like Kristel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kristel
Kristen Girl
#1281 218,767 births
Kristin Girl
#4486 179,313 births
Kristina Girl
#1736 136,765 births
Kristine Girl
#3831 84,329 births
Kristi Girl
#12298 76,484 births
Compare Kristel side by side: Kristel vs Kristen Kristel vs Kristin Kristel vs Kristina
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kristel
Kalli #3413
5,317 births · Peak 2007
Monet #3415
4,546 births · Peak 1997
Silvana #3412
2,420 births · Peak 2007
Kimberlyn #3416
3,926 births · Peak 1993
Yadira #3411
12,815 births · Peak 2005
Daliah #3417
962 births · Peak 2019
Dru #3410
1,866 births · Peak 2004
Fabiana #3418
1,853 births · Peak 2007
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, 1952–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kristel: #3414 Girls' Name - 2,992 Births, Peak 1982." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kristel. 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 Kristel 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.