Unisex name · since 1923
Novel
Since 1923, U.S. Social Security records show 53 babies named Novel, peaking in 1924. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #21,793 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 53
- born since 1923
- 1920s
- peak decade
Novel sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 53 recorded since 1923.
Social Security Administration records show Novel recorded 53 times among boys since 1923, 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 1923 to 2024.
- #21,793 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 53 born since 1923
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Novel ranks #21,793 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 53 born since 1923, peaking in the 1920s.
- #21,793 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 53
- born since 1923
- 1920s
- peak decade
Novel's 53 recorded births place it above 51.98% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Novel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Novel's full recorded timeline at 1951, 55% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 45% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1923, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1924 peak of 8 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Novel popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1923–2024
- Peak year (1924)
- 8
- Annual births at peak, across 102 years of records
Novel popularity over time - girls
34 total births recorded since 1916 (Novel as girls' name)
Novel by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (13 births, 25% of the file).
1920s was Novel's strongest decade.
13 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 25% of all-time use.
Novel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1920s
1920s
13 births
- 1930s
1930s
6 births
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1950s
1950s
7 births
- 1970s
1970s
6 births
- 2010s 5
2010s
5 births
- 2020s
2020s
11 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 13 births (25% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Novel? ▼
Where does Novel sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Novel most popular? ▼
Is Novel a unisex name? ▼
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What to do with Novel's data
- Novel's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (13 total births) through the 2020s (11) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Novel
Nearby Names Like Novel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Novel
Compare Novel side by side: Novel vs Nova Novel vs Novah Novel vs Novak
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Novel: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1924)
Similar record span (~101 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, 1923–2024 (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 Novel 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.