Total births
3,240
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.
- 3,240
- total births
- 1881–2019
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 22%
- born in that 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.
- 3,240 total births
- 1881–2019 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 22% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
3,240 boys have been named Newell since 1881, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2019.
- 3,240
- total births
- 1881–2019
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 22%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
22% of everyone ever named Newell was born in this single decade.
1916
Single peak year
96 babies were named Newell in 1916 - its busiest year on record.
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 at a glance
Last recorded 2019Peak year
1916
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1881
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
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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 vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
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% |
Utah share of Newell's total US births 2.5%
Even split
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? ▼
Since 1881, Social Security records show 3,240 babies named Newell. The most recent recorded year was 2019. Its busiest year on record was 1916, with 96 births.
When was Newell most popular? ▼
Newell was most popular in the 1920s decade with 704 total births. The single peak year was 1916.
Where is Newell most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Newell are Utah (80 births), Texas (79 births), Tennessee (68 births).
How long has the name Newell been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Newell since 1881 -- 139 years through the most recent 2019 data.
What names are similar to Newell? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Newton, Newman, Newt, Newel, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
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
- 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 Newell
Nearby Names Like Newell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Newell
Newton Boy
#3896 8,177 births
Newman Boy
#12375 1,896 births
Newt Boy
#5449 852 births
Newel Boy
130 births
Newland Boy
22 births
Compare Newell side by side: Newell vs Newton Newell vs Newman Newell vs Newt
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, 1881–2019 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Newell: Baby Name Since 1881 - 3,240 Births, Peak 1916." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/newell. 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 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 June 2026.