Roel
Boy name · #2488 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Roel? In official American birth records, Roel has been tracked continuously since 1926, giving it 99 years of documented American history.
Roel ranks #2488 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 54 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2919, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 33,333 boys born in 2025 was named Roel.
Babies named Roel per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 99-year story
Roel first appears in the Social Security records in 1926, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2000, when 83 boys were named Roel — good for #1479 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 Roel against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Roel in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Roel is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Roel will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Roel is most common
State-level data for Roel 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 Roel
Statistically, parents drawn to Roel tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Romel, Fidel, Mikel, Reyes, and Nigel.
RomelFidelMikelReyesNigelJamelLinoLars
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Roel | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 54 | #2480 |
| 2024 | 64 | #2236 |
| 2023 | 60 | #2315 |
| 2022 | 49 | #2675 |
| 2021 | 41 | #2972 |
| 2020 | 46 | #2689 |
| 2019 | 37 | #3143 |
| 2018 | 53 | #2445 |
| 2017 | 50 | #2532 |
| 2016 | 37 | #3111 |
| 2015 | 40 | #2919 |
| 2014 | 63 | #2154 |
| 2013 | 49 | #2492 |
| 2012 | 55 | #2326 |
| 2011 | 66 | #2035 |
| 2010 | 60 | #2187 |
| 2009 | 54 | #2381 |
| 2008 | 58 | #2265 |
| 2007 | 67 | #2051 |
| 2006 | 60 | #2150 |
| 2005 | 58 | #2114 |
| 2004 | 65 | #1880 |
| 2003 | 68 | #1764 |
| 2002 | 65 | #1772 |
| 2001 | 59 | #1871 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Roel?
In official American birth records, the name Roel first appeared in 1926 (over 99 years ago), when 6 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 99 years.
Is Roel a popular boy name?
Roel ranked #2488 among boys in 2025 with 54 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2919.
When was the name Roel most popular?
Roel peaked in 2000, when 83 American boys received the name (ranked #1479 that year). Since 2000 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Roel?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 33,333 newborn American boys was named Roel. 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.