Boys' name · since 1881
Newell
3,240 babies named Newell in U.S. Social Security records since 1881, with the highest year being 1916. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #2,402 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 3,240
- born since 1881
- 1920s
- peak decade
Newell sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 3,240 recorded since 1881.
Social Security Administration records show Newell recorded 3,240 times among boys since 1881, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1881 to 2019.
- #2,402 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 3,240 born since 1881
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Newell ranks #2,402 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 3,240 born since 1881, peaking in the 1920s.
- #2,402 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 3,240
- born since 1881
- 1920s
- peak decade
Newell's 3,240 recorded births place it above 94.71% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
19 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Utah.
Newell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Newell's full recorded timeline at 1943, 32% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 68% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1882, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1916 peak of 96 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Newell popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1881–2019
- Peak year (1916)
- 96
- Annual births at peak, across 139 years of records
Newell popularity over time - girls
79 total births recorded since 1914 (Newell as girls' name)
Newell by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (704 births, 22% of the file).
1920s was Newell's strongest decade.
704 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.
Newell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 62
1880s
62 births
- 1890s 68
1890s
68 births
- 1900s 95
1900s
95 births
- 1910s
1910s
608 births
- 1920s
1920s
704 births
- 1930s
1930s
513 births
- 1940s
1940s
460 births
- 1950s
1950s
311 births
- 1960s 163
1960s
163 births
- 1970s 112
1970s
112 births
- 1980s 54
1980s
54 births
- 1990s 51
1990s
51 births
- 2000s 15
2000s
15 births
- 2010s 24
2010s
24 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 704 births (22% of all-time use).
How Newell 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 Newell's total volume
Newell by state
Where Newell concentrates geographically, total births since 1881
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Utah | | 80 | 2.5% |
| #2 | Texas | | 79 | 2.4% |
| #3 | Tennessee | | 68 | 2.1% |
| #4 | New York | | 53 | 1.6% |
| #5 | North Carolina | | 27 | 0.8% |
| #6 | California | | 23 | 0.7% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 20 | 0.6% |
| #8 | Massachusetts | | 17 | 0.5% |
80 of 3,240 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 19 reporting states.
Newell appears in 19 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Newell? ▼
Where does Newell sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Newell most popular? ▼
Where is Newell most popular? ▼
How long has the name Newell been used? ▼
What names are similar to Newell? ▼
What to do with Newell's data
- Newell's decade-level peak was the 1920s (704 total births); usage has since declined to 24 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Utah records the most Newells (80 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Utah names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Newell
Nearby Names Like Newell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Newell
Compare Newell side by side: Newell vs Newton Newell vs Newman Newell vs Newt
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Newell: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1916)
Similar record span (~138 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, 1881–2019 (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 Newell 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.