Burnell
Burnell is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:Alf Burnell (1924–2019), English rugby player Arthur Coke Burnell (1840–1882), British translator Barker Burnell (1798–1843), U.S.
Meaning & Origin of Burnell
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Burnell is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:Alf Burnell (1924–2019), English rugby player Arthur Coke Burnell (1840–1882), British translator Barker Burnell (1798–1843), U.S.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Burnell
As a girl name
Burnell first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1912, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1943, when 28 Burnells were born — ranking #1,591 that year. As of 2026, Burnell ranks #6,008 for girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 593 Burnells have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Burnell first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1906, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1920, when 67 Burnells were born — ranking #816 that year. As of 2026, Burnell ranks #12,323 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 3K Burnells have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Burnell
Phonetically similar names — useful when Burnell is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Burnell
What does the name Burnell mean?
How popular is Burnell in 2026?
When was Burnell most popular?
In which U.S. states is Burnell most popular?
Is Burnell a unisex name?
What names go well with Burnell?
About the name Burnell
Burnell is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1906 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Burnell's peak popularity came in 1920 when it ranked #816. Use the chart and map above to compare Burnell's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1920 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "B" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.