Chanel

Did you know?

A few things about Chanel you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Chanel

Chanel Terrero

Spanish-Cuban singer and actress

Choose Chanel and your child shares a first name with Chanel Terrero, a Spanish-Cuban singer and actress. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Chanel, like who?” Chanel Terrero's Wikipedia article is available in 36 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Chanel Terrero on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Arkland, CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 9,452 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Chanel, 170 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Chanel would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryChanel first shows up in US birth records in 1918, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 107 years since.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1991, when it ranked #380. Today it's #1,309, so it could be due a comeback.
• 🍂TrendChanel has slipped 594 places over the last five years and now sits at #1,309. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
• 📍Where it's lovedChanel is most popular in Florida, where it ranks #864, followed by North Carolina (#905). It's in the top 1,000 in 2 states.
• 💬MeaningIn French, Chanel means “canal, channel”. Our records link it to English, French and Old French roots.

About the name Chanel

Chanel is a girl name of English, French and Old French origin meaning “canal, channel”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with C and ending in “-nel”. US birth records list Chanel for girls from 1955 to 2025, in 71 of those 71 years. Its best year was 1991, when it ranked #380 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #1,309, with 170 babies.

Origin:English namesFrench namesOld French names