How Many People Are Named Barnell?
An estimated 61 people in the United States have the first name Barnell. It is predominantly male (94.2%). The average bearer is 66 years old, and Barnell peaked in popularity in 1956 with 8 births that year.
Below you will find a full statistical profile of Barnell as a first name in the United States, including gender data, a year-by-year popularity timeline going back to 1880, a decade breakdown, state-by-state birth registrations, and, when available, a 2020 Census snapshot showing who had the name at that point in time. You can also check how many people share the full name Barnell paired with any surname.
Key Insights
- With an average bearer age of 66, Barnell is a vintage name most associated with earlier generations. Most living bearers were born before 1970.
- Barnell is exceptionally rare. Fewer than 100 people with this name are estimated to be alive in the U.S. today.
Estimated Living Americans
61
About 1 in 5,618,924 people in the U.S.
Rarity
Very Rare
Predicted Gender
Male
94.2% confidence
Average Age
66
years old
Peak Year
1956
8 births
Total Registered
103
since 1880
Gender Distribution for Barnell
Barnell is predominantly male (94.2%), though 6 female births have been registered. It functions as a unisex name for a small percentage of bearers.
Barnell as a male name
Ranked #6,407 in 1984
5 male births in 1984
Peak: 1956 (8 births)
Barnell as a female name
Ranked #3,734 in 1936
6 female births in 1936
Peak: 1936 (6 births)
Barnell in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 156 people with the first name Barnell, which placed it at #44,359 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The estimated living count elsewhere on this page is different: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two figures are not expected to match exactly.
Read this section as a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The SSA charts elsewhere on this page are still the better way to see how the name rose, fell, or shifted across generations.
Gender in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, Barnell was recorded as predominantly male. Out of 156 people with this name in that snapshot, 77.6% were male and 22.4% were female. That is less heavily male than the long-run SSA birth pattern on this page, which sits at 94.2% male.
Census Count
156
people with this name
Census Rank
#44,359
among Census first names
Frequency Rate
0.05
per 100,000 people
Recorded Race and Hispanic Origin in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, the first name Barnell was most commonly recorded among people who identified as Black (80.37%). The next largest recorded groups were White (13.50%) and Two or More Races (3.07%).
These percentages describe the people who had the first name Barnell in the 2020 Census. They do not tell you the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.
2020 Census demographic breakdown
Each row shows a recorded Census category for people with the first name Barnell.
| Group | Share | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Black | 80.37% | 131 |
| White | 13.50% | 22 |
| Two or More Races | 3.07% | 5 |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 1.84% | 3 |
| Hispanic | 1.23% | 2 |
The Census published separate sex and race/origin tables for first names, so their total counts can differ slightly for the same name. That is why the race section focuses on the demographic mix rather than repeating a second headline count.
Barnell: Popularity Over Time
SSA records for Barnell span from the 1910s to the 1980s, covering 8 decades of naming data. The most popular decade for this name was the 1950s, when 35 babies were registered. While Barnell is less common than at its peak in the 1950s, it remains a well-established name with steady registrations.
Barnell by Decade
How has Barnell tracked across different eras? The table below groups all SSA birth registrations into 10-year periods, with separate male and female counts. The colored bar shows each decade's share relative to the peak.
Barnell + Last Name Combinations
How many people share a full name with Barnell as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Names Similar to Barnell
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
Barnell: Questions and Answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Barnell?
We estimate approximately 61 people named Barnell are alive in the United States today. This is based on SSA birth records from 1880 to 2024, adjusted for mortality using CDC life tables. About 1 in 5,618,924 Americans share this first name.
Is Barnell a common name?
Barnell is classified as "Very Rare" and is more popular than 57.3% of all first names in the SSA database. A total of 103 births have been registered with this name since 1880.
When was Barnell most popular?
Barnell reached peak popularity in 1956, when 8 babies were given this name. The average age of a living person named Barnell is approximately 66 years old, reflecting when the name was most commonly given.
How common was Barnell in the 2020 Census?
The 2020 Census recorded 156 people with the first name Barnell. That placed it at #44,359 in the published Census first-name tables, or 0.05 people per 100,000.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census number is a count of people with the name in 2020. The living estimate is a current model based on SSA birth records and survival rates, so it aims to estimate how many people with the name are alive now.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The popularity chart tracks birth registrations, not people currently alive. It shows how often Barnell was given to babies from 1880 through 2024, which is why it is the best tool on the page for seeing long-run naming trends.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Barnell?
In the 2020 Census snapshot, Barnell was recorded as predominantly male. The published split was 77.6% male and 22.4% female.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Barnell?
In the 2020 Census, the first name Barnell was most commonly recorded among people who identified as Black (80.37%). The next largest recorded groups were White (13.50%) and Two or More Races (3.07%). These percentages describe the people who had the name in the 2020 Census, not the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census published separate first-name tables for sex and for race and Hispanic origin. Those totals can differ slightly for the same name, so the page uses them as two related snapshots rather than treating them as perfectly interchangeable counts.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name tables only include names that met the Bureau's publication rules. That means some names on this site will have SSA history but no published Census demographic snapshot.
Is Barnell a male name?
Barnell is predominantly male. 94.2% of people with this name are male. See the gender breakdown above for full details.
Why can Barnell have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because a name can build up a large population over many decades. Barnell peaked in 1956, and the average living bearer is about 66 years old, so a name can still have millions of living bearers even after it stops feeling current for newborns.
How many Barnell Smiths are there?
To find how many people share a specific full name, we combine first name and surname frequencies. Try: Barnell Smith, Barnell Johnson, Barnell Williams. You can also search any combination on our homepage.
Where does this data come from?
Our estimates use Social Security Administration birth records (1880 to 2024), adjusted for survival using CDC 2023 life tables broken down by sex. The U.S. population figure (342,754,338) is from the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimate. Full methodology.
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