Rebel
Boy name · #3399 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Rebel? In official American birth records, Rebel has been tracked continuously since 1954, giving it 71 years of documented American history.
Rebel ranks #3399 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 34 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2684, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 52,941 boys born in 2025 was named Rebel.
Babies named Rebel per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 71-year story
Rebel first appears in the Social Security records in 1954, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2020, when 58 boys were named Rebel — good for #2323 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 Rebel against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Rebel in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Rebel is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Rebel will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Rebel is most common
State-level data for Rebel 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 Rebel
Statistically, parents drawn to Rebel tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Charbel, Revel, Steel, Reuel, and Josiel.
CharbelRevelSteelReuelJosielRazielAzazelMikhael
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Rebel | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 34 | #3379 |
| 2024 | 37 | #3216 |
| 2023 | 40 | #3055 |
| 2022 | 37 | #3216 |
| 2021 | 56 | #2410 |
| 2020 | 58 | #2323 |
| 2019 | 46 | #2736 |
| 2018 | 57 | #2325 |
| 2017 | 49 | #2566 |
| 2016 | 44 | #2726 |
| 2015 | 45 | #2684 |
| 2014 | 48 | #2542 |
| 2013 | 55 | #2299 |
| 2012 | 17 | #5256 |
| 2011 | 19 | #4822 |
| 2010 | 22 | #4366 |
| 2009 | 21 | #4582 |
| 2008 | 20 | #4714 |
| 2007 | 16 | #5434 |
| 2006 | 10 | #7427 |
| 2005 | 7 | #9115 |
| 2004 | 6 | #9948 |
| 2003 | 11 | #6258 |
| 2002 | 7 | #8456 |
| 2001 | 6 | #9243 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Rebel?
In official American birth records, the name Rebel first appeared in 1954 (over 71 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 71 years.
Is Rebel a popular boy name?
Rebel ranked #3399 among boys in 2025 with 34 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2684.
When was the name Rebel most popular?
Rebel peaked in 2020, when 58 American boys received the name (ranked #2323 that year). Since 2020 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Rebel?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 52,941 newborn American boys was named Rebel. 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.