Boys' name · since 1913
Purnell
Purnell has 762 recorded births since 1913 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1964 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #6,080 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 762
- born since 1913
- 1960s
- peak decade
Purnell sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 762 recorded since 1913.
Social Security Administration records show Purnell recorded 762 times among boys since 1913, 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 1913 to 2010.
- #6,080 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 762 born since 1913
- 1960s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Purnell ranks #6,080 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 762 born since 1913, peaking in the 1960s.
- #6,080 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 762
- born since 1913
- 1960s
- peak decade
Purnell's 762 recorded births place it above 86.63% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by Maryland.
Purnell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Purnell splits its recorded history at 1956: 51% of all births land in the more recent half, 49% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1913 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1964 peak of 19 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Purnell popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1913–2010
- Peak year (1964)
- 19
- Annual births at peak, across 98 years of records
Purnell popularity over time - girls
6 total births recorded since 1919 (Purnell as girls' name)
Purnell by decade
1960s is the heaviest window (126 births, 17% of the file).
1960s was Purnell's strongest decade.
126 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 17% of all-time use.
Purnell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
51 births
- 1920s
1920s
83 births
- 1930s
1930s
73 births
- 1940s
1940s
96 births
- 1950s
1950s
118 births
- 1960s
1960s
126 births
- 1970s
1970s
95 births
- 1980s
1980s
60 births
- 1990s 43
1990s
43 births
- 2000s 11
2000s
11 births
- 2010s 6
2010s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 126 births (17% of all-time use).
How Purnell 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 Purnell's total volume
Purnell by state
Where Purnell concentrates geographically, total births since 1913
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Purnell's data
- Purnell's decade-level peak was the 1960s (126 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Maryland records the most Purnells (64 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Maryland names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Purnell
Nearby Names Like Purnell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Purnell
Compare Purnell side by side: Purnell vs Purvis Purnell vs Purcell Purnell 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 Purnell: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1964)
Similar record span (~97 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, 1913–2010 (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 Purnell 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.