Pele
Pele is a masculine given name, surname and nickname.
Meaning & Origin of Pele
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Pele is a masculine given name, surname and nickname.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Pele
As a girl name
Pele first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1973, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2011, when 8 Peles were born — ranking #12,153 that year. As of 2026, Pele ranks #15,532 for girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 52 Peles have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Pele first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1975, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1981, when 9 Peles were born — ranking #4,153 that year. As of 2026, Pele ranks #12,141 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 51 Peles have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Pele
Phonetically similar names — useful when Pele 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 Pele
What does the name Pele mean?
How popular is Pele in 2026?
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About the name Pele
Pele is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1973 and has accumulated 52 births in the dataset. Pele's peak popularity came in 2011 when it ranked #12,153. Use the chart and map above to compare Pele's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2011 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "P" →
- Browse all girl 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.