Diesel
Boy name · #2356 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Diesel? In official American birth records, Diesel has been tracked continuously since 2001, giving it 24 years of documented American history.
Diesel ranks #2356 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 59 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1271, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 30,508 boys born in 2025 was named Diesel.
Babies named Diesel per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 24-year story
Diesel first appears in the Social Security records in 2001, when 10 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2014, when 156 boys were named Diesel — good for #1186 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Diesel against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Diesel in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Diesel is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Diesel will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Diesel is most common
State-level data for Diesel is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Diesel
Statistically, parents drawn to Diesel tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jariel, Yariel, Janiel, Dashiell, and Aksel.
JarielYarielJanielDashiellAkselHanselDeeganJeriel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Diesel | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 59 | #2332 |
| 2024 | 38 | #3161 |
| 2023 | 61 | #2290 |
| 2022 | 54 | #2517 |
| 2021 | 80 | #1903 |
| 2020 | 79 | #1872 |
| 2019 | 86 | #1790 |
| 2018 | 96 | #1663 |
| 2017 | 119 | #1439 |
| 2016 | 135 | #1326 |
| 2015 | 141 | #1271 |
| 2014 | 156 | #1186 |
| 2013 | 135 | #1285 |
| 2012 | 134 | #1295 |
| 2011 | 123 | #1364 |
| 2010 | 108 | #1503 |
| 2009 | 119 | #1413 |
| 2008 | 90 | #1692 |
| 2007 | 79 | #1830 |
| 2006 | 65 | #2037 |
| 2005 | 43 | #2567 |
| 2004 | 30 | #3217 |
| 2003 | 27 | #3366 |
| 2002 | 25 | #3450 |
| 2001 | 10 | #6445 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Diesel?
In official American birth records, the name Diesel first appeared in 2001 (over 24 years ago), when 10 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 24 years.
Is Diesel a popular boy name?
Diesel ranked #2356 among boys in 2025 with 59 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1271.
When was the name Diesel most popular?
Diesel peaked in 2014, when 156 American boys received the name (ranked #1186 that year). Since 2014 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Diesel?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 30,508 newborn American boys was named Diesel. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.