Total births
497
Girls' name · since 1958
Meshell
Meshell has 497 recorded births since 1958 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1966 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 497
- total births
- 1958–2008
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 34%
- born in that decade
Meshell sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 497 recorded since 1958.
Meshell has 497 recorded births among girls since 1958, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1960s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1958 to 2008.
- 497 total births
- 1958–2008 years on record
- 1960s peak decade
- 34% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
497 girls have been named Meshell since 1958, peaking in the 1960s, last recorded in 2008.
- 497
- total births
- 1958–2008
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 34%
- born in that decade
1960s
Peak decade
34% of everyone ever named Meshell was born in this single decade.
1966
Single peak year
35 babies were named Meshell in 1966 - its busiest year on record.
Meshell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Meshell splits its recorded history at 1981: 32% of all births land in the more recent half, 68% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1980 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1966 peak of 35 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Meshell at a glance
Last recorded 2008Peak year
1966
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1958
Meshell popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1958–2008
- Peak year (1966)
- 35
- Annual births at peak, across 51 years of records
Meshell by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Meshell's strongest decade.
167 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Meshell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 6
1950s
6 births
- 1960s
1960s
167 births
- 1970s
1970s
162 births
- 1980s
1980s
67 births
- 1990s
1990s
78 births
- 2000s 17
2000s
17 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 167 births (34% of all-time use).
Meshell by state
Where Meshell concentrates geographically, total births since 1958
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 5 | 1.0% |
| #2 | Georgia | | 5 | 1.0% |
California share of Meshell's total US births 1.0%
Even split
5 of 497 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Meshell? ▼
497 babies have been named Meshell since 1958. It was last recorded in 2008. The peak year was 1966 with 35 births.
When was Meshell most popular? ▼
Meshell was most popular in the 1960s decade with 167 total births. The single peak year was 1966.
Where is Meshell most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Meshell are California (5 births), Georgia (5 births).
How long has the name Meshell been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Meshell since 1958 -- 51 years through the most recent 2008 data.
What names are similar to Meshell? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Mesha, Messiah, Mesa, Meshelle, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Meshell's data
- Meshell's decade-level peak was the 1960s (167 total births); usage has since declined to 17 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Meshells (5 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 Meshell
Nearby Names Like Meshell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Meshell
Mesha Girl
1,187 births
Messiah Girl
#7784 1,036 births
Mesa Girl
#5483 843 births
Meshelle Girl
310 births
Meshia Girl
216 births
Compare Meshell side by side: Meshell vs Mesha Meshell vs Messiah Meshell vs Mesa
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, 1958–2008 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Meshell: Baby Name Since 1958 - 497 Births, Peak 1966." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/meshell. 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 Meshell 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.