Cornel
Every Cornel since 1919 — 1,174 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Cornel
Cornel is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1919, 1,174 American babies have been named Cornel. Its peak came in 1947, when 59 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.
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 Cornel stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Cornel year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | 6 | #11,209 |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | 5 | #12,507 |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | 5 | #12,575 |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | 6 | #11,069 |
| 2011 | 5 | #12,653 |
| 2010 | 7 | #9,888 |
| 2009 | 7 | #10,075 |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | 6 | #11,187 |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | 7 | #9,304 |
| 2004 | 10 | #7,070 |
| 2003 | 6 | #9,804 |
| 2002 | 9 | #7,152 |
| 2001 | 12 | #5,737 |
| 2000 | 11 | #5,985 |
| 1995 | 9 | #6,007 |
| 1990 | 10 | #5,054 |
| 1985 | 13 | #3,443 |
| 1980 | 9 | #4,206 |
| 1975 | 10 | #3,486 |
| 1970 | 19 | #2,075 |
| 1965 | 17 | #1,935 |
| 1960 | 25 | #1,628 |
| 1955 | 28 | #1,463 |
| 1950 | 30 | #1,319 |
| 1945 | 6 | #3,053 |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | 5 | #3,765 |
| 1930 | 10 | #2,637 |
| 1925 | 7 | #3,474 |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Cornel
- Cornel Wilde Actor · 1912–1989
- Cornel West Philosopher · b. 1953
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Cornel in 2025?
Cornel did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Cornel?
1,174 babies have been named Cornel in the United States since 1919, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Cornel most popular?
Cornel peaked in 1947, when 59 newborns received the name.
Is Cornel a boy or girl name?
Cornel is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Cornel rising or falling?
Cornel is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Cornel?
Well-known people named Cornel include Cornel Wilde (actor), Cornel West (philosopher).