Boy · #12,323 in 2026

Nowell

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

Nowell is a masculine English given name derived from Noël, meaning Christmas in French. Notable people with the name include:Nowell Myres (1902–1989), British archaeologist Nowell Parr (1864–1933), British architect Nowell Salmon (1835–1912), Royal Navy officer Nowell Sotherton, English politician Nowell Twopeny (1819–1869), English priest

Current Rank

#12,323

Peak Rank

#2,862 (1969)

Total Babies

167

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1927

First Year

2022

Last Year

1969

Peak Year

#2862

Peak Rank

167

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Nowell

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

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

The Story of Nowell

Nowell first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1927, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1969, when 10 Nowells were born — ranking #2,862 that year. As of 2026, Nowell ranks #12,323 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 167 Nowells have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Nowell

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

Noel
Noelle
Nial
Newell
Nihil
Newel
Nowel
Knawel
Mohel
Noble
Noah
Knoll

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Nowell

What does the name Nowell mean?

How popular is Nowell in 2026?

In 2026, Nowell ranks #12,323 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Nowell most popular?

Nowell reached its peak popularity in 1969, ranking #2,862 that year with 10 babies given the name.

Is Nowell a unisex name?

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

What names go well with Nowell?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Nowell include Nina, Policarpio, Crandall. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Nowell

Nowell is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1927 and has accumulated 167 births in the dataset. Nowell's peak popularity came in 1969 when it ranked #2,862. Use the chart and map above to compare Nowell'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.