Kjell
Kjell is a Scandinavian usually male given name. In Denmark, the cognate is Kjeld or Keld. The name comes from the Old Norse word kętill, which means "kettle" and probably also "helmet" or perhaps "cauldron". Examples of old spellings or forms are Ketill, Kjætil and Ketil. An equally likely meaning is a source, a hope that the boy will get ample resources to draw upon later in life.
- Swedish
- Norwegian
Meaning & Origin of Kjell
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Kjell is a Scandinavian usually male given name. In Denmark, the cognate is Kjeld or Keld. The name comes from the Old Norse word kętill, which means "kettle" and probably also "helmet" or perhaps "cauldron". Examples of old spellings or forms are Ketill, Kjætil and Ketil. An equally likely meaning is a source, a hope that the boy will get ample resources to draw upon later in life.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Swedish
- Norwegian
The Story of Kjell
American parents first put Kjell on the record books as a baby boy name in 1958, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1971, when 15 Kjells were born — ranking #2,465 that year. The 1970s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 30% of all recorded Kjells. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2014 (6 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 359 Kjells have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Kjell
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Kjell. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Ketil
- Kettil
- Kjetil
Names that sound like Kjell
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kjell 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 Kjell
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About the name Kjell
Kjell is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1958 and has accumulated 359 births in the dataset. Kjell's peak popularity came in 1971 when it ranked #2,465. Use the chart and map above to compare Kjell's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1971 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- 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.