Howell
Howell is a surname and given name originating from Wales. It is an anglicised form of the Welsh name Hywel. It originates in a dynasty of kings in Wales and Brittany in the 9th and 10th-centuries, most notably king Hywel Dda and three Welsh royal houses of that time onwards. The royal House of Tudor was also descended from them. Today, nearly 200,000 people bear this surname.
- Welsh
Meaning & Origin of Howell
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Howell is a surname and given name originating from Wales. It is an anglicised form of the Welsh name Hywel. It originates in a dynasty of kings in Wales and Brittany in the 9th and 10th-centuries, most notably king Hywel Dda and three Welsh royal houses of that time onwards. The royal House of Tudor was also descended from them. Today, nearly 200,000 people bear this surname.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Welsh
The Story of Howell
Howell first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 14 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1920, when 93 Howells were born — ranking #660 that year. As of 2026, Howell ranks #7,091 for baby boys with 10 births, rising sharply (+18% over the past five years). In total, more than 4K Howells have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Howell
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Howell. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Hywel
Names that sound like Howell
Phonetically similar names — useful when Howell is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Howel
- Howle
- Hisle
- Howl
- Hull
- Hul
- Hle
- Howells
- Houle
- Haole
- Housel
- Howald
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Howell
What does the name Howell mean?
What is the origin of the name Howell?
How popular is Howell in 2026?
When was Howell most popular?
In which U.S. states is Howell most popular?
Is Howell a unisex name?
What names go well with Howell?
What are nicknames or variants of Howell?
About the name Howell
Howell is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Howell's peak popularity came in 1920 when it ranked #482. Use the chart and map above to compare Howell'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 "H" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.