Donnell
Boy name · #4060 in 2025 · Uniqueness 92/100
In 2025, 26 baby boys were named Donnell, placing it at #4060 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1870, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 69,231 boys born in 2025 was named Donnell.
Babies named Donnell per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 113-year story
Donnell first appears in the Social Security records in 1912, when 7 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1982, when 290 boys were named Donnell — good for #498 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Donnell against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Donnell in class?
Donnell scores 92 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Donnell will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Donnell is most common
State-level data for Donnell is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Donnell
Statistically, parents drawn to Donnell tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Darnell, Kendell, Darell, Terrell, and Marcell.
DarnellKendellDarellTerrellMarcellWilfredoDerikMontrell
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Donnell | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26 | #4050 |
| 2024 | 22 | #4571 |
| 2023 | 23 | #4456 |
| 2022 | 32 | #3533 |
| 2021 | 29 | #3740 |
| 2020 | 46 | #2689 |
| 2019 | 34 | #3347 |
| 2018 | 60 | #2262 |
| 2017 | 51 | #2493 |
| 2016 | 75 | #1936 |
| 2015 | 78 | #1870 |
| 2014 | 89 | #1701 |
| 2013 | 82 | #1763 |
| 2012 | 88 | #1711 |
| 2011 | 75 | #1866 |
| 2010 | 105 | #1536 |
| 2009 | 79 | #1852 |
| 2008 | 125 | #1361 |
| 2007 | 135 | #1287 |
| 2006 | 139 | #1202 |
| 2005 | 110 | #1362 |
| 2004 | 134 | #1163 |
| 2003 | 107 | #1305 |
| 2002 | 123 | #1154 |
| 2001 | 155 | #987 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Donnell a popular boy name?
Donnell ranked #4060 among boys in 2025 with 26 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1870.
When was the name Donnell most popular?
Donnell peaked in 1982, when 290 American boys received the name (ranked #498 that year). Since 1982 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Donnell?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 69,231 newborn American boys was named Donnell. It scores 92/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.