At a glance
- In short
- Russell is an English name from an Old French nickname meaning little red one.
- U.S. rank 2025
- #345 of boy names
- Babies in 2025
- 944 (0.051% of boys)
- Trend
- Steady #370 in 2020 to #345 in 2025
- Peak
- #48 in 1904
- First recorded
- 1880
Meaning of Russell
Russell is an English name that began as a surname. It comes from the Old French Rousel, a diminutive of rous, meaning "red", so it means "little red one". It was originally a nickname for someone with red hair or a ruddy complexion, and it later came into use as a first name.
Well-known bearers include the actor Russell Crowe, an Academy Award winner, and Russell Wilson, the quarterback who led the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl title.
In the U.S., Russell was among the top 100 boys' names for decades. It reached its highest rank, 48th, in 1904, and the most babies in a single year, 7,487, came in 1960. It later fell steadily, dropping to 434th in 2009, but has since climbed back: in 2025 it ranked 345th, with 944 babies.
How to pronounce Russell
English
- Pronounced RUHS-uhl /ˈrʌsəl/
Popularity of Russell in the U.S.
Russell was the #345 boy name in the U.S. in 2025, with 944 babies. It peaked at #48 in 1904 and has been in the top 1,000 since 1880.
- Rank among U.S. boy names (right scale, #1 at the top)
Year-by-year table, 1880–2025 146 rows
| Year | Babies | Rank | vs previous year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 944 | 345 | ▲ 22 |
| 2024 | 897 | 367 | ▲ 24 |
| 2023 | 815 | 391 | ▼ 18 |
| 2022 | 868 | 373 | ▼ 18 |
| 2021 | 919 | 355 | ▲ 15 |
| 2020 | 842 | 370 | ▲ 21 |
| 2019 | 804 | 391 | ▲ 22 |
| 2018 | 769 | 413 | ▼ 9 |
| 2017 | 790 | 404 | ▲ 3 |
| 2016 | 785 | 407 | ▼ 4 |
| 2015 | 769 | 403 | ▲ 7 |
| 2014 | 757 | 410 | ▲ 23 |
| 2013 | 672 | 433 | ▼ 7 |
| 2012 | 657 | 426 | ▼ 25 |
| 2011 | 707 | 401 | ▲ 2 |
| 2010 | 699 | 403 | ▲ 31 |
| 2009 | 646 | 434 | ▼ 29 |
| 2008 | 726 | 405 | ▲ 4 |
| 2007 | 712 | 409 | ▼ 6 |
| 2006 | 741 | 403 | ▼ 11 |
| 2005 | 731 | 392 | ▼ 30 |
| 2004 | 768 | 362 | ▼ 19 |
| 2003 | 811 | 343 | ▼ 16 |
| 2002 | 838 | 327 | ▼ 20 |
| 2001 | 925 | 307 | ▲ 13 |
| 2000 | 894 | 320 | ▲ 5 |
| 1999 | 855 | 325 | ▼ 28 |
| 1998 | 952 | 297 | ▼ 41 |
| 1997 | 1,100 | 256 | ▲ 4 |
| 1996 | 1,086 | 260 | ▼ 20 |
| 1995 | 1,205 | 240 | ▼ 5 |
| 1994 | 1,269 | 235 | ▼ 34 |
| 1993 | 1,517 | 201 | ▼ 16 |
| 1992 | 1,711 | 185 | ▼ 11 |
| 1991 | 1,833 | 174 | ▼ 32 |
| 1990 | 2,212 | 142 | ▼ 6 |
| 1989 | 2,218 | 136 | ▼ 8 |
| 1988 | 2,298 | 128 | ▼ 9 |
| 1987 | 2,379 | 119 | ▼ 3 |
| 1986 | 2,407 | 116 | ▼ 6 |
| 1985 | 2,571 | 110 | ▼ 4 |
| 1984 | 2,685 | 106 | ▼ 2 |
| 1983 | 2,744 | 104 | ▼ 7 |
| 1982 | 3,032 | 97 | ▲ 1 |
| 1981 | 3,048 | 98 | ▼ 6 |
| 1980 | 3,269 | 92 | – |
| 1979 | 3,132 | 92 | ▲ 1 |
| 1978 | 2,984 | 93 | ▼ 4 |
| 1977 | 3,124 | 89 | ▼ 2 |
| 1976 | 2,999 | 87 | ▼ 5 |
| 1975 | 3,232 | 82 | ▲ 2 |
| 1974 | 3,168 | 84 | ▼ 7 |
| 1973 | 3,397 | 77 | ▼ 8 |
| 1972 | 3,782 | 69 | ▼ 5 |
| 1971 | 4,545 | 64 | ▼ 6 |
| 1970 | 5,106 | 58 | ▼ 1 |
| 1969 | 5,156 | 57 | ▼ 1 |
| 1968 | 5,097 | 56 | ▲ 2 |
| 1967 | 4,889 | 58 | ▲ 3 |
| 1966 | 4,857 | 61 | ▼ 3 |
| 1965 | 5,645 | 58 | – |
| 1964 | 6,238 | 58 | ▼ 1 |
| 1963 | 6,703 | 57 | – |
| 1962 | 7,042 | 57 | ▼ 2 |
| 1961 | 7,333 | 55 | ▲ 1 |
| 1960 | 7,487 | 56 | – |
| 1959 | 7,480 | 56 | ▼ 2 |
| 1958 | 7,158 | 54 | – |
| 1957 | 7,223 | 54 | ▼ 2 |
| 1956 | 7,402 | 52 | ▲ 5 |
| 1955 | 6,539 | 57 | ▲ 12 |
| 1954 | 5,761 | 69 | ▲ 2 |
| 1953 | 5,374 | 71 | ▼ 1 |
| 1952 | 5,349 | 70 | ▲ 3 |
| 1951 | 5,175 | 73 | ▼ 6 |
| 1950 | 4,945 | 67 | ▲ 2 |
| 1949 | 5,007 | 69 | ▼ 2 |
| 1948 | 5,109 | 67 | ▲ 2 |
| 1947 | 5,270 | 69 | ▼ 3 |
| 1946 | 4,741 | 66 | ▼ 2 |
| 1945 | 3,806 | 64 | ▼ 1 |
| 1944 | 3,931 | 63 | ▲ 10 |
| 1943 | 3,752 | 73 | ▼ 3 |
| 1942 | 3,676 | 70 | ▲ 5 |
| 1941 | 3,032 | 75 | ▼ 3 |
| 1940 | 3,012 | 72 | ▲ 1 |
| 1939 | 2,833 | 73 | ▼ 3 |
| 1938 | 2,950 | 70 | ▼ 3 |
| 1937 | 2,895 | 67 | ▲ 2 |
| 1936 | 2,832 | 69 | ▼ 1 |
| 1935 | 2,833 | 68 | ▲ 2 |
| 1934 | 2,736 | 70 | ▼ 3 |
| 1933 | 2,697 | 67 | ▼ 4 |
| 1932 | 3,021 | 63 | – |
| 1931 | 2,942 | 63 | ▼ 3 |
| 1930 | 3,101 | 60 | ▼ 4 |
| 1929 | 3,183 | 56 | ▼ 1 |
| 1928 | 3,325 | 55 | ▼ 1 |
| 1927 | 3,540 | 54 | ▼ 2 |
| 1926 | 3,793 | 52 | ▲ 1 |
| 1925 | 3,804 | 53 | ▼ 1 |
| 1924 | 3,946 | 52 | – |
| 1923 | 3,805 | 52 | ▼ 3 |
| 1922 | 3,965 | 49 | ▲ 3 |
| 1921 | 3,946 | 52 | ▼ 1 |
| 1920 | 3,901 | 51 | ▼ 1 |
| 1919 | 3,645 | 50 | – |
| 1918 | 3,833 | 50 | ▲ 2 |
| 1917 | 3,436 | 52 | ▼ 1 |
| 1916 | 3,330 | 51 | – |
| 1915 | 3,250 | 51 | ▼ 2 |
| 1914 | 2,568 | 49 | ▲ 1 |
| 1913 | 1,946 | 50 | ▲ 6 |
| 1912 | 1,449 | 56 | ▼ 1 |
| 1911 | 770 | 55 | ▲ 3 |
| 1910 | 615 | 58 | – |
| 1909 | 528 | 58 | ▼ 2 |
| 1908 | 523 | 56 | ▲ 1 |
| 1907 | 503 | 57 | ▼ 4 |
| 1906 | 459 | 53 | ▲ 4 |
| 1905 | 432 | 57 | ▼ 9 |
| 1904 | 473 | 48 | ▲ 8 |
| 1903 | 390 | 56 | ▼ 3 |
| 1902 | 422 | 53 | ▼ 3 |
| 1901 | 395 | 50 | ▲ 12 |
| 1900 | 427 | 62 | ▼ 6 |
| 1899 | 338 | 56 | ▲ 5 |
| 1898 | 359 | 61 | ▲ 3 |
| 1897 | 295 | 64 | – |
| 1896 | 327 | 64 | ▲ 2 |
| 1895 | 300 | 66 | ▲ 6 |
| 1894 | 278 | 72 | ▲ 3 |
| 1893 | 246 | 75 | – |
| 1892 | 269 | 75 | ▲ 11 |
| 1891 | 186 | 86 | ▲ 8 |
| 1890 | 182 | 94 | ▼ 5 |
| 1889 | 198 | 89 | ▲ 25 |
| 1888 | 146 | 114 | ▲ 19 |
| 1887 | 96 | 133 | ▼ 11 |
| 1886 | 115 | 122 | ▲ 23 |
| 1885 | 94 | 145 | ▼ 12 |
| 1884 | 107 | 133 | ▲ 47 |
| 1883 | 67 | 180 | ▲ 4 |
| 1882 | 73 | 184 | ▼ 6 |
| 1881 | 65 | 178 | ▲ 18 |
| 1880 | 62 | 196 | – |
Russell by state
Russell ranks #110 in Alaska (2025).
Rank by state 43 states
| State | Rank | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 110 | 7 |
| Idaho | 113 | 22 |
| Montana | 173 | 7 |
| Oregon | 181 | 23 |
| North Dakota | 191 | 6 |
| Minnesota | 202 | 32 |
| Utah | 206 | 26 |
| Iowa | 206 | 19 |
| Maine | 206 | 6 |
| Wisconsin | 217 | 28 |
| Indiana | 236 | 35 |
| Ohio | 245 | 51 |
| Connecticut | 249 | 13 |
| Virginia | 251 | 34 |
| Kentucky | 253 | 21 |
| South Dakota | 257 | 5 |
| Colorado | 262 | 25 |
| Missouri | 264 | 26 |
| Alabama | 274 | 20 |
| North Carolina | 330 | 35 |
| West Virginia | 330 | 5 |
| Pennsylvania | 332 | 33 |
| Arizona | 343 | 22 |
| New Jersey | 344 | 24 |
| Massachusetts | 347 | 15 |
| Tennessee | 348 | 25 |
| Arkansas | 353 | 9 |
| New Mexico | 360 | 5 |
| Illinois | 363 | 29 |
| Washington | 364 | 20 |
| Mississippi | 370 | 8 |
| Nebraska | 377 | 6 |
| California | 383 | 86 |
| Michigan | 409 | 21 |
| Louisiana | 426 | 11 |
| Oklahoma | 426 | 10 |
| South Carolina | 438 | 11 |
| Nevada | 443 | 6 |
| New York | 455 | 37 |
| Maryland | 475 | 10 |
| Georgia | 482 | 22 |
| Texas | 638 | 47 |
| Florida | 704 | 22 |
Notable people named Russell
- Russell T Davies is a Welsh screenwriter and television producer best known as the original showrunner of the revived Doctor Who and creator of series like Queer as Folk, Torchwood, and Years and Years.
- Russell Wilson is an American quarterback who led the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl title, made nine Pro Bowls, and is celebrated as a dual threat and former pro baseball player.
- Russell Brand is an English comedian, actor, and media personality who rose from stand-up and radio to hosting Big Brother's Big Mouth, starring in comedies like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek, releasing hit specials and podcasts, and earning British Comedy Awards and a BAFTA nomination.
- Russell Crowe is an acclaimed actor and director known for intense performances, winner of an Academy Award, two Golden Globes, and a BAFTA, with films grossing over five billion dollars worldwide.
- Russell Marion Nelson Sr was an American surgeon and religious leader who served as the seventeenth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 2018 until his death in 2025 at age 101, after decades in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and was recognized by the church as prophet, seer, and revelator.
More people named Russell 9 more
- Russell Amos Kirk was an American political philosopher whose book The Conservative Mind helped shape post World War II American conservatism.
- Russell Simmons is an American entrepreneur and record executive, co founder of Def Jam, creator of Phat Farm, and an author who promotes yoga, veganism, and entrepreneurship.
- Russell Tovey is a British actor best known for Being Human, The History Boys, Him and Her, Looking, and American Horror Story NYC.
- Russell Howard is an English comedian and TV and radio host best known for Russell Howards Good News and The Russell Howard Hour, a Mock the Week regular, and a 2006 Chortle award winner and Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee.
- Russell Peters is a Canadian standup comedian, actor, and producer who became one of Forbes highest paid comics, delivered the first Netflix standup special, won a Gemini, a Peabody, and an International Emmy for producing Hip Hop Evolution, and now lives in Los Angeles.
- Russell Baker was a Pulitzer Prize winning American journalist and humorist, a longtime New York Times columnist and author of the memoir Growing Up who later hosted PBS Masterpiece Theatre.
- Russell Dickerson is an American country pop singer and songwriter from Tennessee with three Triple Tigers albums and four Billboard Country Airplay number one singles, including Yours, Blue Tacoma, Every Little Thing, and Love You Like I Used To.
- General Russell Elliott Dougherty led the Strategic Air Command and directed strategic target planning at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska.
- American pro golfer Russell Henley plays on the PGA Tour.