Total births
118
Unisex name · since 1958
Machel
118 babies named Machel in U.S. Social Security records since 1958, with the highest year being 1962. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 118
- total births
- 1958–1984
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 71%
- born in that decade
Machel is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 118 have been recorded since 1958.
Social Security Administration records show Machel recorded 118 times among girls since 1958, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1960s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1958 to 1984.
- 118 total births
- 1958–1984 years on record
- 1960s peak decade
- 71% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
118 girls have been named Machel since 1958, peaking in the 1960s, last recorded in 1984.
- 118
- total births
- 1958–1984
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 71%
- born in that decade
1960s
Peak decade
71% of everyone ever named Machel was born in this single decade.
1962
Single peak year
13 babies were named Machel in 1962 - its busiest year on record.
Machel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Machel splits its recorded history at 1966: 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 1958 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1962 peak of 13 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Machel at a glance
Last recorded 1984Peak year
1962
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1958
Machel popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1958–1984
- Peak year (1962)
- 13
- Annual births at peak, across 27 years of records
Machel popularity over time - boys
10 total births recorded since 1972 (Machel as boys' name)
Machel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Machel's strongest decade.
84 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 71% of all-time use.
Machel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 11
1950s
11 births
- 1960s
1960s
84 births
- 1970s 18
1970s
18 births
- 1980s 5
1980s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 84 births (71% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Machel? ▼
Machel has been given to 118 babies in the U.S. since 1958, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1984. 13 babies were born in 1962, its single highest year.
When was Machel most popular? ▼
Machel was most popular in the 1960s decade with 84 total births. The single peak year was 1962.
Is Machel a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Machel is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 118 births, and as a boy's name it has 10 births.
How long has the name Machel been used? ▼
Records for Machel go back to 1958, giving 27 years of history through 1984.
What names are similar to Machel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Mackenzie, Macy, Macie, Maci, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Machel's data
- Machel's decade-level peak was the 1960s (84 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- 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 Machel
Nearby Names Like Machel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Machel
Mackenzie Girl
#200 141,274 births
Macy Girl
#663 32,749 births
Macie Girl
#473 23,472 births
Maci Girl
#792 21,342 births
Macey Girl
#1416 11,536 births
Compare Machel side by side: Machel vs Mackenzie Machel vs Macy Machel vs Macie
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1958–1984 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Machel: Baby Name Since 1958 - 118 Births, Peak 1962." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/machel. 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 Machel 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.