Boy · #1,597 in 2026

Mendel

Mendel can be both a surname and given name.

  • Yiddish
Current Rank
#1,597
Peak Rank
#1,511 (2024)
Total Babies
3K
5-Yr Trend
+29%
1912
First Year
2026
Last Year
2024
Peak Year
#1511
Peak Rank
3K
Total Count
111
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Mendel

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

Mendel can be both a surname and given name.

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

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • Yiddish

The Story of Mendel

Mendel first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1912, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2024, when 108 Mendels were born — ranking #1,587 that year. As of 2026, Mendel ranks #1,597 for baby boys with 108 births, rising sharply (+29% over the past five years). In total, more than 3K Mendels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

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 Mendel

Phonetically similar names — useful when Mendel 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 Mendel

What does the name Mendel mean?
Mendel can be both a surname and given name.
What is the origin of the name Mendel?
Mendel has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Yiddish.
How popular is Mendel in 2026?
In 2026, Mendel ranks #1,597 among boys' names in the U.S., with 108 babies given the name that year.
When was Mendel most popular?
Mendel reached its peak popularity in 2024, ranking #1,511 that year with 108 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Mendel most popular?
Mendel has historically been most popular in New York, South Carolina, New Jersey. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Mendel.
Is Mendel a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Mendel is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Mendel?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Mendel include Landy, Paula, Gergory. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Mendel

Mendel is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1912 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Mendel's peak popularity came in 2024 when it ranked #1,511. Use the chart and map above to compare Mendel'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.