Total births
53
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.
- #12534
- among boys today
- 53
- born since 1923
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 12%
- more common than other boys
53 babies have been named Novel since 1923, making it today's #12534 unisex name.
Social Security Administration records show Novel recorded 53 times among boys since 1923, holding rank #12534 nationally today, ahead of 12% of boys, 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.
- #12534 among boys today
- 53 born since 1923
- 1920s peak decade
- 12% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Novel is currently the #12534 unisex name in America, more common than 12% of boys - 53 born since 1923, peaking in the 1920s.
- #12534
- among boys today
- 53
- born since 1923
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 12%
- more common than other boys
Novel vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#12534
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 12% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
25% of everyone ever named Novel was born in this single decade.
1924
Single peak year
8 babies were named Novel in 1924 - its busiest year on record.
How Novel compares
53 17th percentile among 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
Novel's all-time total is 86% below the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Novel | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 53 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 8 | 23 | 22,252 |
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 at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1924
Current rank
#12,534
Active since
1923
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
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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? ▼
53 babies have been named Novel since 1923. It currently ranks #12534 among boys. The peak year was 1924 with 8 births.
When was Novel most popular? ▼
Novel was most popular in the 1920s decade with 13 total births. The single peak year was 1924.
Is Novel a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Novel is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 53 births, and as a girl's name it has 34 births.
How long has the name Novel been used? ▼
Records for Novel go back to 1923, giving 102 years of history through 2024.
What names are similar to Novel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Nova, Novah, Novak, Novian, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
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.
- 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 Novel
Nearby Names Like Novel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Novel
Nova Boy
#1179 3,227 births
Novah Boy
#2870 514 births
Novak Boy
#3595 384 births
Novian Boy
#5148 88 births
Novan Boy
#8878 47 births
Compare Novel side by side: Novel vs Nova Novel vs Novah Novel vs Novak
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Novel
Excel #12533
29 births · Peak 2022
Rayo #12535
21 births · Peak 2017
Crisanto #12532
237 births · Peak 1996
Richardo #12536
2,065 births · Peak 1988
Anastasios #12531
1,029 births · Peak 1974
Cuyler #12537
749 births · Peak 2009
Conroy #12530
312 births · Peak 2022
Toliver #12538
46 births · Peak 1947
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, 1923–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Novel: #12534 Unisex Name - 53 Births, Peak 1924." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/novel. 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 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 June 2026.