Bell
A male given name transferred from the surname, of occasional usage.
Every Bell since 1880 — 2,626 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Bell
Bell is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #11,097 in 2025 with 8 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 2,626 American babies have been named Bell. Its peak came in 1900, when 63 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1900s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Bell stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Bell year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | #11,097 | — | — |
| 2024 | 6 | #13,737 | — | — |
| 2023 | 7 | #12,363 | — | — |
| 2022 | 8 | #11,380 | — | — |
| 2021 | 7 | #12,417 | — | — |
| 2020 | 7 | #12,355 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — | — | — |
| 2018 | 14 | #7,818 | — | — |
| 2017 | 10 | #10,079 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — | — | — |
| 2015 | 7 | #13,216 | — | — |
| 2014 | 9 | #11,122 | — | — |
| 2013 | 5 | #16,956 | — | — |
| 2012 | 5 | #17,300 | — | — |
| 2011 | 6 | #15,124 | — | — |
| 2010 | 8 | #12,453 | — | — |
| 2009 | 8 | #12,615 | — | — |
| 2008 | 5 | #17,944 | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | 7 | #13,803 | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | 6 | #7,132 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | 6 | #5,754 | — | — |
| 1955 | 5 | #5,894 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | 8 | #3,409 | — | — |
| 1940 | 13 | #2,311 | — | — |
| 1935 | 7 | #3,453 | 5 | #3,691 |
| 1930 | 22 | #1,708 | — | — |
| 1925 | 34 | #1,380 | — | — |
| 1920 | 42 | #1,175 | 6 | #3,860 |
| 1915 | 47 | #970 | 13 | #2,077 |
| 1910 | 50 | #584 | — | — |
| 1905 | 45 | #506 | 8 | #933 |
| 1900 | 63 | #423 | — | — |
| 1895 | 46 | #417 | — | — |
| 1890 | 61 | #324 | — | — |
| 1885 | 45 | #296 | — | — |
| 1880 | 31 | #278 | — | — |
Famous people named Bell
- Bell hooks Writer · b. 1952
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Bell mean?
A male given name transferred from the surname, of occasional usage.
How popular is the name Bell in 2025?
Bell ranked #11,097 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 8 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Bell?
2,626 babies have been named Bell in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Bell most popular?
Bell peaked in 1900, when 63 newborns received the name.
Is Bell a boy or girl name?
Bell is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 95% of babies with the name.
Is the name Bell rising or falling?
Bell has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Bell?
Well-known people named Bell include Bell hooks (writer).