Russell

Did you know?

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

⭐ Famous Russell

Russell A. Hulse

American astronomer

Choose Russell and your child shares a first name with Russell A. Hulse, an American astronomer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Russell, like who?” Russell A. Hulse's Wikipedia article is available in 68 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Russell A. Hulse on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: ENERGY.GOV, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 1,809 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Russell, 944 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Russell would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryRussell has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Russells, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1904, when it ranked #48. Today it's #345, so it could be due a comeback.
• 🚀TrendRussell has climbed 25 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #345. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedRussell is most popular in Alaska, where it ranks #110, followed by Idaho (#113) and Montana (#173). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
• 💬MeaningIn French, Russell means “little red one”. Our records link it to English, French and Latin roots.

About the name Russell

Russell is a boy name of English, French and Latin origin meaning “little red one”. It has 7 letters and 2 syllables, starting with R and ending in “-ell”. US birth records list Russell for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1904, when it ranked #48 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #345, with 944 babies.

Origin:English namesFrench namesLatin names