Unisex · #8,947 in 2026

Carel

Current Rank
#8,947
Peak Rank
#2,936 (1925)
Total Babies
166
5-Yr Trend
Stable
👧 Girl peak #3,176 (60 total)
👦 Boy peak #2,936 (166 total)
👦As Boy Name
1915
First Year
2024
Last Year
1925
Peak Year
#2936
Peak Rank
166
Total Count
27
Years Active
👧As Girl Name
1924
First Year
1959
Last Year
1949
Peak Year
#3176
Peak Rank
60
Total Count
9
Years Active

The Story of Carel

As a girl name

Carel first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1924, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1949, when 11 Carels were born — ranking #3,176 that year. As of 2026, Carel ranks #5,567 for girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 60 Carels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Carel first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1915, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1925, when 9 Carels were born — ranking #2,936 that year. As of 2026, Carel ranks #8,947 for boys with 8 births, with steady use. In total, more than 166 Carels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Carel

Phonetically similar names — useful when Carel 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 Carel

What does the name Carel mean?
Carel is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1915. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.
How popular is Carel in 2026?
In 2026, Carel ranks #8,947 among boys' names in the U.S., with 8 babies given the name that year.
When was Carel most popular?
Carel reached its peak popularity in 1925, ranking #2,936 that year with 9 babies given the name.
Is Carel a unisex name?
Yes — Carel is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 27% of Carels assigned female and 73% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Carel?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Carel include Aristide, Worden, Ponciano. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Carel

Carel is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1915 and has accumulated 166 births in the dataset. Carel's peak popularity came in 1925 when it ranked #2,936. Use the chart and map above to compare Carel's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.