Total births
167
Boys' name · since 1927
Nowell
167 babies named Nowell in U.S. Social Security records since 1927, with the highest year being 1969. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 167
- total births
- 1927–2022
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 23%
- born in that decade
Nowell is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 167 have been recorded since 1927.
Social Security Administration records show Nowell recorded 167 times among boys since 1927, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1960s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1927 to 2022.
- 167 total births
- 1927–2022 years on record
- 1960s peak decade
- 23% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
167 boys have been named Nowell since 1927, peaking in the 1960s, last recorded in 2022.
- 167
- total births
- 1927–2022
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 23%
- born in that decade
1960s
Peak decade
23% of everyone ever named Nowell was born in this single decade.
1969
Single peak year
10 babies were named Nowell in 1969 - its busiest year on record.
Nowell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Nowell's SSA record in two at 1979 and the more recent half accounts for 50% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 50%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1927, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1969 peak of 10, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Nowell at a glance
Last recorded 2022Peak year
1969
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1927
Nowell popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1927–2022
- Peak year (1969)
- 10
- Annual births at peak, across 96 years of records
Nowell by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Nowell's strongest decade.
38 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Nowell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1920s 5
1920s
5 births
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1950s
1950s
17 births
- 1960s
1960s
38 births
- 1970s
1970s
24 births
- 1980s
1980s
21 births
- 1990s 15
1990s
15 births
- 2000s
2000s
25 births
- 2010s 12
2010s
12 births
- 2020s 5
2020s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 38 births (23% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nowell? ▼
Since 1927, Social Security records show 167 babies named Nowell. The most recent recorded year was 2022. Its busiest year on record was 1969, with 10 births.
When was Nowell most popular? ▼
Nowell was most popular in the 1960s decade with 38 total births. The single peak year was 1969.
How long has the name Nowell been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Nowell since 1927 -- 96 years through the most recent 2022 data.
What names are similar to Nowell? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Nowah, Nowa. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Nowell's data
- Nowell's decade-level peak was the 1960s (38 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- 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 Nowell
Nearby Names Like Nowell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nowell
Compare Nowell side by side: Nowell vs Nowah Nowell vs Nowa
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, 1927–2022 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nowell: Baby Name Since 1927 - 167 Births, Peak 1969." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nowell. 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 Nowell 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.