Boys' name · since 1915
Purcell
Purcell has 454 recorded births since 1915 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1948 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #8,358 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 454
- born since 1915
- 1920s
- peak decade
Purcell is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 454 have been recorded since 1915.
Social Security Administration records show Purcell recorded 454 times among boys since 1915, 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 1915 to 1985.
- #8,358 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 454 born since 1915
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Purcell ranks #8,358 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 454 born since 1915, peaking in the 1920s.
- #8,358 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 454
- born since 1915
- 1920s
- peak decade
Purcell's 454 recorded births place it above 81.61% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by Virginia.
Purcell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Purcell's full recorded timeline at 1949, 46% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 54% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1918, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1948 peak of 13 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Purcell popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1915–1985
- Peak year (1948)
- 13
- Annual births at peak, across 71 years of records
Purcell by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (91 births, 20% of the file).
1920s was Purcell's strongest decade.
91 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 20% of all-time use.
Purcell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
42 births
- 1920s
1920s
91 births
- 1930s
1930s
54 births
- 1940s
1940s
65 births
- 1950s
1950s
83 births
- 1960s
1960s
61 births
- 1970s 34
1970s
34 births
- 1980s 24
1980s
24 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 91 births (20% of all-time use).
Purcell by state
Where Purcell concentrates geographically, total births since 1915
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Virginia | | 12 | 2.6% |
| #2 | North Carolina | | 5 | 1.1% |
12 of 454 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Purcell? ▼
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When was Purcell most popular? ▼
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What to do with Purcell's data
- Purcell's decade-level peak was the 1920s (91 total births); usage has since declined to 24 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Virginia records the most Purcells (12 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Virginia names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Purcell
Nearby Names Like Purcell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Purcell
Compare Purcell side by side: Purcell vs Purvis Purcell vs Purnell Purcell vs Purl
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Purcell: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1948)
Similar record span (~70 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, 1915–1985 (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 Purcell 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.