Russell
Russell is a given name that originated from the surname Russell, which in turn derives from the French name russel "red-haired, from rus "red hair color" and the suffix -el.
Meaning & Origin of Russell
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Russell is a given name that originated from the surname Russell, which in turn derives from the French name russel "red-haired, from rus "red hair color" and the suffix -el.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Russell
Russell first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 62 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1960, when 7,482 Russells were born — ranking #56 that year. As of 2026, Russell ranks #375 for baby boys with 871 births, holding steady (+5%). In total, more than 361K Russells have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Russell
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Russell A. Alger (1836–1907), American politician and businessman
- Russell A. Berg (1917–2002), American Air Force brigadier general
- Russell A. Gausman (1892–1963), American set decorator
- Russell A. Livigni (born 1934), American rubber industry scientist and executive
- Russell A. Rourke (1931–2003), American lawyer and public official
- Russell A. Sanborn , American Marine major general
- Russell A. Steindam (1946–1970), American Army officer
- Russell Aaron Boyd, real name of Dutch Boyd (born 1980), American professional poker player
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Russell
Phonetically similar names — useful when Russell 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 Russell
What does the name Russell mean?
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About the name Russell
Russell is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 361K births in the dataset. Russell's peak popularity came in 1960 when it ranked #48. Use the chart and map above to compare Russell's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1960 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- Names starting with "R" →
- 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.