Total births
2,630
Boys' name · since 1917
Martell
Martell has 2,630 recorded births since 1917 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1986 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #6515
- among boys today
- 2,630
- born since 1917
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 54%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Martell is the #6515 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 2,630 recorded since 1917.
Social Security Administration records show Martell recorded 2,630 times among boys since 1917, holding rank #6515 nationally today, ahead of 54% of boys, 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 1917 to 2025.
- #6515 among boys today
- 2,630 born since 1917
- 1980s peak decade
- 54% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Martell is currently the #6515 boys' name in America, more common than 54% of boys - 2,630 born since 1917, peaking in the 1980s.
- #6515
- among boys today
- 2,630
- born since 1917
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 54%
- more common than other boys
Martell vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#6515
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 54% of names given to boys today.
1980s
Peak decade
33% of everyone ever named Martell was born in this single decade.
1986
Single peak year
124 babies were named Martell in 1986 - its busiest year on record.
How Martell compares
2,630 Top 18% higher than 82% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys 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
Martell's all-time total is 7x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Martell | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,630 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 124 | 23 | 22,252 |
Martell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Martell splits its recorded history at 1983: 85% of all births land in the more recent half, 15% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1918 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1986 peak of 124 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Martell at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1986
Current rank
#6,515
Active since
1917
Martell popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1917–2025
- Peak year (1986)
- 124
- Annual births at peak, across 109 years of records
Martell popularity over time - girls
36 total births recorded since 1915 (Martell as girls' name)
Martell by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Martell's strongest decade.
866 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 33% of all-time use.
Martell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 13
1910s
13 births
- 1920s 40
1920s
40 births
- 1930s 39
1930s
39 births
- 1940s 21
1940s
21 births
- 1950s 31
1950s
31 births
- 1960s 31
1960s
31 births
- 1970s 108
1970s
108 births
- 1980s
1980s
866 births
- 1990s
1990s
698 births
- 2000s
2000s
369 births
- 2010s 327
2010s
327 births
- 2020s 87
2020s
87 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 866 births (33% of all-time use).
How Martell 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 Martell's total volume
Martell vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Martell by state
Where Martell concentrates geographically, total births since 1917
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Illinois | | 565 | 21.5% |
| #2 | Michigan | | 359 | 13.7% |
| #3 | California | | 161 | 6.1% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 66 | 2.5% |
| #5 | Indiana | | 31 | 1.2% |
| #6 | Georgia | | 17 | 0.6% |
| #7 | Missouri | | 12 | 0.5% |
| #8 | Florida | | 11 | 0.4% |
Illinois share of Martell's total US births 21.5%
Even split
565 of 2,630 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 12 reporting states.
Martell appears in 12 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Martell? ▼
2,630 babies have been named Martell since 1917. It currently ranks #6515 among boys. The peak year was 1986 with 124 births.
When was Martell most popular? ▼
Martell was most popular in the 1980s decade with 866 total births. The single peak year was 1986.
Where is Martell most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Martell are Illinois (565 births), Michigan (359 births), California (161 births).
How long has the name Martell been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Martell since 1917 -- 109 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Martell? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Mark, Martin, Marvin, Marcus, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Martell's data
- Martell's decade-level peak was the 1980s (866 total births); usage has since declined to 87 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Illinois records the most Martells (565 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Illinois 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 Martell
Nearby Names Like Martell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Martell
Mark Boy
#244 1,362,176 births
Martin Boy
#307 315,561 births
Marvin Boy
#671 254,192 births
Marcus Boy
#256 241,657 births
Mario Boy
#398 151,310 births
Compare Martell side by side: Martell vs Mark Martell vs Martin Martell vs Marvin
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Martell
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, 1917–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Martell: #6515 Boys' Name - 2,630 Births, Peak 1986." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/martell. 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 Martell 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.