Joel
Boy name · #219 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Joel? In official American birth records, Joel has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Joel ranks #219 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 1,633 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #158, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,102 boys born in 2025 was named Joel.
Babies named Joel per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Joel first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 41 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1985, when 4,623 boys were named Joel — good for #67 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 Joel against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Joel in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Joel is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Joel is most common
Geography matters for names, and Joel is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Joel is most common in NM (2.2 per 1,000), MD (1.6 per 1,000), AZ (1.6 per 1,000), IA (1.5 per 1,000), NV (1.5 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Joel is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Joel
Statistically, parents drawn to Joel tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jesse, Rafael, Bryan, Marcus, and Justin.
JesseRafaelBryanMarcusJustinVictorManuelMiguel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Joel | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,633 | #219 |
| 2024 | 1,638 | #219 |
| 2023 | 1,745 | #212 |
| 2022 | 1,780 | #209 |
| 2021 | 1,797 | #211 |
| 2020 | 1,843 | #207 |
| 2019 | 2,095 | #187 |
| 2018 | 2,132 | #188 |
| 2017 | 2,265 | #177 |
| 2016 | 2,427 | #166 |
| 2015 | 2,602 | #158 |
| 2014 | 2,672 | #154 |
| 2013 | 2,727 | #144 |
| 2012 | 2,780 | #144 |
| 2011 | 3,056 | #132 |
| 2010 | 3,065 | #132 |
| 2009 | 3,564 | #116 |
| 2008 | 3,744 | #113 |
| 2007 | 3,423 | #123 |
| 2006 | 3,455 | #123 |
| 2005 | 3,275 | #123 |
| 2004 | 3,237 | #124 |
| 2003 | 3,245 | #124 |
| 2002 | 3,191 | #122 |
| 2001 | 3,167 | #126 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Joel?
In official American birth records, the name Joel first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 41 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Joel a popular boy name?
Joel ranked #219 among boys in 2025 with 1,633 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #158.
When was the name Joel most popular?
Joel peaked in 1985, when 4,623 American boys received the name (ranked #67 that year). Since 1985 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Joel?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,102 newborn American boys was named Joel. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.