Novel
A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book. The word derives from the Italian: novella for 'new', 'news', or 'short story ', itself from the Latin: novella, a singular noun use of the neuter plural of novellus, diminutive of novus, meaning 'new'.
Meaning & Origin of Novel
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book. The word derives from the Italian: novella for 'new', 'news', or 'short story ', itself from the Latin: novella, a singular noun use of the neuter plural of novellus, diminutive of novus, meaning 'new'.
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The Story of Novel
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Novel as a girl name dates back to 1916, when 5 babies received it. 1938 was its biggest year on record, with 7 newborns named Novel — #3,450 in the national rankings. The 1920s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 50% of all recorded Novels. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 1938 (7 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 34 Novels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Novel first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1923, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1924: 8 births, good for #3,260 nationwide. The 1920s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 25% of all recorded Novels. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2024 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 53 Novels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Novel
Phonetically similar names — useful when Novel 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 Novel
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About the name Novel
Novel is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1923 and has accumulated 53 births in the dataset. Novel's peak popularity came in 1924 when it ranked #3,260. Use the chart and map above to compare Novel's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1924 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "N" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.