Cornell
Boy name · Celtic Gaelic · English · French · Greek · Latin
- US rank
- #6,143
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #478 in 1952
14 babies were named Cornell in the US in 2025. It has dropped 3,007 places in five years.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1890–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Cornell you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Cornell
Cornell Glen
Trinidad and Tobago footballer
Choose Cornell and your child shares a first name with Cornell Glen, a Trinidad and Tobago footballer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Cornell, like who?” Cornell Glen's Wikipedia article is available in 21 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Cornell Glen on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: BrokenSphere, CC BY 3.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 121,951 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Cornell, 14 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Cornell would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryCornell first shows up in US birth records in 1890, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 135 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1952, when it ranked #478. Today it's #6,143, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowCornell was 4.3× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 28,490 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 121,951.
- TrendCornell has slipped 3,007 places over the last five years and now sits at #6,143. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
About the name Cornell
Cornell is a boy name of Celtic Gaelic, English and French origin. It has 7 letters and 2 syllables, starting with C and ending in “-ell”. US birth records list Cornell for boys from 1890 to 2025, in 123 of those 136 years. Its best year was 1952, when it ranked #478 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #6,143, with 14 babies.
Origin:Celtic Gaelic namesEnglish namesFrench namesGreek namesLatin names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1890s | 9.6 | 104,384 boys |
| 1900s | 25 | 39,510 boys |
| 1910s | 49 | 20,280 boys |
| 1920s | 40 | 24,907 boys |
| 1930s | 50 | 20,202 boys |
| 1940s | 64 | 15,664 boys |
| 1950s | 99 | 10,053 boys |
| 1960s | 92 | 10,817 boys |
| 1970s | 92 | 10,928 boys |
| 1980s | 72 | 13,926 boys |
| 1990s | 49 | 20,568 boys |
| 2000s | 38 | 26,035 boys |
| 2010s | 28 | 35,613 boys |
| 2020s | 14 | 69,204 boys |
Other spellings of Cornell
More Celtic Gaelic boy names
- Boy name: Bowen · son of Owen
- Boy name: Malcolm · devotee of Saint Columba
- Boy name: Danny · God is my judge
- Boy name: Calum · dove
- Unisex name: Bowie · yellow-haired
- Boy name: Cian · ancient
- Unisex name: Naveen · new
- Boy name: Earl · nobleman
Questions about the name Cornell
What is the origin of the name Cornell?
Cornell has Celtic Gaelic, English, French, Greek, Latin roots in our records. Other Celtic Gaelic names include Bowen, Malcolm, Danny.
Is Cornell a boy or girl name?
Cornell is a boy name.
How popular is the name Cornell?
Cornell ranked #6,143 for US boys in 2025, given to 14 babies. Its best year was 1952 (#478).