Hazel
Girl name · #21 in 2025 · Very well-known
How old is the name Hazel? In official American birth records, Hazel has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Hazel ranks #21 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 6,318 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #63, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 285 girls born in 2025 was named Hazel.
The 145-year story
Hazel first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 21 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1918, when 7,615 girls were named Hazel — good for #33 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.
Babies named Hazel per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Hazel against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Hazel in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Hazel is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Hazel is most common
Geography matters for names, and Hazel is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Hazel is most common in WY (18 per 1,000), VT (12 per 1,000), ID (11 per 1,000), MT (11 per 1,000), ME (11 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 4.8 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Hazel is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Hazel
Statistically, parents drawn to Hazel tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Eleanor, Mabel, Clara, Evelyn, and Alice.
EleanorMabelClaraEvelynAliceElsieJosephineVivian
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Hazel | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6,318 | #21 |
| 2024 | 6,432 | #19 |
| 2023 | 6,193 | #18 |
| 2022 | 6,161 | #27 |
| 2021 | 6,015 | #28 |
| 2020 | 5,519 | #31 |
| 2019 | 5,464 | #33 |
| 2018 | 4,951 | #42 |
| 2017 | 5,047 | #43 |
| 2016 | 4,682 | #52 |
| 2015 | 4,302 | #63 |
| 2014 | 2,909 | #105 |
| 2013 | 2,057 | #157 |
| 2012 | 1,785 | #173 |
| 2011 | 1,481 | #211 |
| 2010 | 1,241 | #264 |
| 2009 | 1,126 | #293 |
| 2008 | 967 | #345 |
| 2007 | 909 | #357 |
| 2006 | 682 | #465 |
| 2005 | 578 | #514 |
| 2004 | 404 | #682 |
| 2003 | 385 | #680 |
| 2002 | 314 | #767 |
| 2001 | 319 | #750 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Hazel?
In official American birth records, the name Hazel first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 21 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Hazel a popular girl name?
Hazel ranked #21 among girls in 2025 with 6,318 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #63.
When was the name Hazel most popular?
Hazel peaked in 1918, when 7,615 American girls received the name (ranked #33 that year). Since 1918 the name has recovered some ground.
How rare is the name Hazel?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 285 newborn American girls was named Hazel. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.