Girl · #11,778 in 2026

Charnel

A charnel house is a vault or building where human skeletal remains are stored. They are often built near churches for depositing bones that are unearthed while digging graves. The term can also be used more generally as a description of a place filled with death and destruction.

Current Rank
#11,778
Peak Rank
#8,587 (1991)
Total Babies
66
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1967
First Year
1994
Last Year
1991
Peak Year
#8587
Peak Rank
66
Total Count
11
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Charnel

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

A charnel house is a vault or building where human skeletal remains are stored. They are often built near churches for depositing bones that are unearthed while digging graves. The term can also be used more generally as a description of a place filled with death and destruction.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Charnel

Charnel first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1967, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1991, when 9 Charnels were born — ranking #8,587 that year. As of 2026, Charnel ranks #11,778 for baby girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 66 Charnels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Top 10
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No data

Names that sound like Charnel

Phonetically similar names — useful when Charnel 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 Charnel

What does the name Charnel mean?
A charnel house is a vault or building where human skeletal remains are stored. They are often built near churches for depositing bones that are unearthed while digging graves. The term can also be used more generally as a description of a place filled with death and destruction.
How popular is Charnel in 2026?
In 2026, Charnel ranks #11,778 among girls' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Charnel most popular?
Charnel reached its peak popularity in 1991, ranking #8,587 that year with 9 babies given the name.
Is Charnel a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Charnel is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Charnel?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Charnel include Jullia, Richel, Patreece. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Charnel

Charnel is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1967 and has accumulated 66 births in the dataset. Charnel's peak popularity came in 1991 when it ranked #8,587. Use the chart and map above to compare Charnel'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.