How Many People Are Named Bernell?
An estimated 1,011 people in the United States have the first name Bernell. It is used for both genders, with 67.5% male. The average bearer is 64 years old, and Bernell peaked in popularity in 1923 with 56 births that year.
Below you will find a full statistical profile of Bernell 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 Bernell paired with any surname.
Estimated Living Americans
1,011
About 1 in 339,025 people in the U.S.
Rarity
Rare
Predicted Gender
Male
67.5% confidence
Average Age
64
years old
Peak Year
1923
56 births
Total Registered
2,308
since 1880
Gender Distribution for Bernell
Bernell is a genuinely unisex name, used for both males (67.5%) and females (32.5%). Out of 2,308 total births registered, 1,558 were male and 750 were female.
Bernell as a male name
Ranked #10,958 in 2019
6 male births in 2019
Peak: 1923 (39 births)
Bernell as a female name
Ranked #7,569 in 1969
5 female births in 1969
Peak: 1927 (27 births)
Bernell in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 1,029 people with the first name Bernell, which placed it at #12,180 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, Bernell was recorded as predominantly male. Out of 1,029 people with this name in that snapshot, 70.5% were male and 29.5% were female. That is very close to the long-run birth pattern in SSA records, where the name is male 67.5% of the time.
Census Count
1,029
people with this name
Census Rank
#12,180
among Census first names
Frequency Rate
0.34
per 100,000 people
Recorded Race and Hispanic Origin in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, the first name Bernell was most commonly recorded among people who identified as Black (63.71%). The next largest recorded groups were White (31.85%) and Two or More Races (1.54%).
These percentages describe the people who had the first name Bernell 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 Bernell.
| Group | Share | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Black | 63.71% | 660 |
| White | 31.85% | 330 |
| Two or More Races | 1.54% | 16 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.25% | 13 |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 0.87% | 9 |
| Hispanic | 0.77% | 8 |
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.
Bernell: Popularity Over Time
SSA records for Bernell span from the 1910s to the 2010s, covering 11 decades of naming data. The most popular decade for this name was the 1920s, when 456 babies were registered. Bernell has declined significantly from its peak in the 1920s. Recent registrations are a fraction of what they were at the name's height.
Bernell by Decade
How has Bernell 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.
Bernell by State
Birth registrations for Bernell span all 9 states and territories in the SSA database. The highest counts are in Louisiana, Illinois, Texas. The lowest are in South Carolina, Missouri, Arkansas. On average, about 28 Bernells were registered per state.
Bernell + Last Name Combinations
How many people share a full name with Bernell as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Names Similar to Bernell
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
Bernell: Questions and Answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Bernell?
We estimate approximately 1,011 people named Bernell 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 339,025 Americans share this first name.
Is Bernell a common name?
Bernell is classified as "Rare" and is more popular than 90.2% of all first names in the SSA database. A total of 2,308 births have been registered with this name since 1880.
When was Bernell most popular?
Bernell reached peak popularity in 1923, when 56 babies were given this name. The average age of a living person named Bernell is approximately 64 years old, reflecting when the name was most commonly given.
How common was Bernell in the 2020 Census?
The 2020 Census recorded 1,029 people with the first name Bernell. That placed it at #12,180 in the published Census first-name tables, or 0.34 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 Bernell 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 Bernell?
In the 2020 Census snapshot, Bernell was recorded as predominantly male. The published split was 70.5% male and 29.5% female.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Bernell?
In the 2020 Census, the first name Bernell was most commonly recorded among people who identified as Black (63.71%). The next largest recorded groups were White (31.85%) and Two or More Races (1.54%). 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 Bernell a male name?
Bernell is predominantly male. 67.5% of people with this name are male. See the gender breakdown above for full details.
Why can Bernell 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. Bernell peaked in 1923, and the average living bearer is about 64 years old, so a name can still have millions of living bearers even after it stops feeling current for newborns.
How many Bernell Smiths are there?
To find how many people share a specific full name, we combine first name and surname frequencies. Try: Bernell Smith, Bernell Johnson, Bernell 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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