Russell
Boy name · #345 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Russell? In official American birth records, Russell has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Russell ranks #345 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 944 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #403, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,907 boys born in 2025 was named Russell.
Babies named Russell per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Russell first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 62 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1960, when 7,487 boys were named Russell — good for #56 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 Russell against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Russell in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Russell 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 Russell is most common
Geography matters for names, and Russell is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Russell is most common in ID (2.5 per 1,000), OR (1.5 per 1,000), IA (1.4 per 1,000), UT (1.3 per 1,000), MN (1.3 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.6 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Russell is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Russell
Statistically, parents drawn to Russell tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kenneth, Paul, Richard, Jeffrey, and Stephen.
KennethPaulRichardJeffreyStephenTimothyGregorySteven
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Russell | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 944 | #345 |
| 2024 | 897 | #367 |
| 2023 | 815 | #391 |
| 2022 | 868 | #373 |
| 2021 | 919 | #355 |
| 2020 | 842 | #370 |
| 2019 | 804 | #391 |
| 2018 | 769 | #413 |
| 2017 | 790 | #404 |
| 2016 | 785 | #407 |
| 2015 | 769 | #403 |
| 2014 | 757 | #410 |
| 2013 | 672 | #433 |
| 2012 | 657 | #426 |
| 2011 | 707 | #401 |
| 2010 | 699 | #403 |
| 2009 | 646 | #434 |
| 2008 | 726 | #405 |
| 2007 | 712 | #409 |
| 2006 | 741 | #403 |
| 2005 | 731 | #392 |
| 2004 | 768 | #362 |
| 2003 | 811 | #343 |
| 2002 | 838 | #327 |
| 2001 | 925 | #307 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Russell?
In official American birth records, the name Russell first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 62 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Russell a popular boy name?
Russell ranked #345 among boys in 2025 with 944 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #403.
When was the name Russell most popular?
Russell peaked in 1960, when 7,487 American boys received the name (ranked #56 that year). Since 1960 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Russell?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,907 newborn American boys was named Russell. 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.