Boy · #4,719 in 2026

Cornell

Name: Popularity of the name Cornell in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Cornell, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Cornell is an English surname and given derived from a shortened form of Cornwall, Cornwell or Cornhill, and also a Dutch surname. Sometimes the name is an Americanized form of the Czech Kornel or the German and Swedish Kornell.

English

Current Rank

#4,719

Peak Rank

#478 (1962)

Total Babies

11K

5-Yr Trend

-36%

1915

First Year

1973

Last Year

1952

Peak Year

#2921

Peak Rank

348

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Cornell

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

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

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

English

The Story of Cornell

Cornell first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1890, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1962, when 241 Cornells were born — ranking #508 that year. As of 2026, Cornell ranks #4,719 for baby boys with 21 births, falling sharply (-36%). In total, more than 11K Cornells have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Cornell

Phonetically similar names — useful when Cornell is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Cornel
Corneal
Corneille
Carnal
Carnell
Karnal
Carneal
Carmel
Cormel
Corel
Corell
Cornwell

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cornell

What does the name Cornell mean?

What is the origin of the name Cornell?

Cornell has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English.

How popular is Cornell in 2026?

In 2026, Cornell ranks #4,719 among boys' names in the U.S., with 21 babies given the name that year.

When was Cornell most popular?

Cornell reached its peak popularity in 1962, ranking #478 that year with 241 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Cornell most popular?

Cornell has historically been most popular in District of Columbia, Maryland, South Carolina. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Cornell.

Is Cornell a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Cornell is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Cornell?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Cornell include Barbara, Tory, Ora. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Cornell

Cornell is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1890 and has accumulated 11K births in the dataset. Cornell's peak popularity came in 1962 when it ranked #478. Use the chart and map above to compare Cornell'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.