How Many People Are Named Johnell?
An estimated 1,338 people in the United States have the first name Johnell. It is used for both genders, with 77.7% male. The average bearer is 46 years old, and Johnell peaked in popularity in 1977 with 37 births that year.
Below you will find a full statistical profile of Johnell 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 Johnell paired with any surname.
Estimated Living Americans
1,338
About 1 in 256,169 people in the U.S.
Rarity
Rare
Predicted Gender
Male
77.7% confidence
Average Age
46
years old
Peak Year
1977
37 births
Total Registered
1,589
since 1880
Gender Distribution for Johnell
Johnell is a genuinely unisex name, used for both males (77.7%) and females (22.3%). Out of 1,589 total births registered, 1,234 were male and 355 were female.
Johnell as a male name
Ranked #9,092 in 2020
8 male births in 2020
Peak: 1990 (27 births)
Johnell as a female name
Ranked #14,983 in 2004
6 female births in 2004
Peak: 1971 (12 births)
Johnell in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 1,054 people with the first name Johnell, which placed it at #11,975 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, Johnell was recorded as predominantly male. Out of 1,054 people with this name in that snapshot, 71.0% were male and 29.0% were female. That is less heavily male than the long-run SSA birth pattern on this page, which sits at 77.7% male.
Census Count
1,054
people with this name
Census Rank
#11,975
among Census first names
Frequency Rate
0.35
per 100,000 people
Recorded Race and Hispanic Origin in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, the first name Johnell was most commonly recorded among people who identified as Black (73.44%). The next largest recorded groups were White (14.56%) and Hispanic (5.48%).
These percentages describe the people who had the first name Johnell 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 Johnell.
| Group | Share | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Black | 73.44% | 777 |
| White | 14.56% | 154 |
| Hispanic | 5.48% | 58 |
| Two or More Races | 3.97% | 42 |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 1.42% | 15 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.13% | 12 |
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.
Johnell: Popularity Over Time
SSA records for Johnell span from the 1920s to the 2020s, covering 11 decades of naming data. The most popular decade for this name was the 1970s, when 270 babies were registered. Johnell has declined significantly from its peak in the 1970s. Recent registrations are a fraction of what they were at the name's height.
Johnell by Decade
How has Johnell 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.
Johnell by State
Birth registrations for Johnell span all 5 states and territories in the SSA database. The highest counts are in Louisiana, Illinois, California. The lowest are in Florida, South Carolina, California. On average, about 32 Johnells were registered per state.
Johnell + Last Name Combinations
How many people share a full name with Johnell as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Names Similar to Johnell
Other first names starting with J with a similar number of bearers.
Johnell: Questions and Answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Johnell?
We estimate approximately 1,338 people named Johnell 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 256,169 Americans share this first name.
Is Johnell a common name?
Johnell is classified as "Rare" and is more popular than 91.8% of all first names in the SSA database. A total of 1,589 births have been registered with this name since 1880.
When was Johnell most popular?
Johnell reached peak popularity in 1977, when 37 babies were given this name. The average age of a living person named Johnell is approximately 46 years old, reflecting when the name was most commonly given.
How common was Johnell in the 2020 Census?
The 2020 Census recorded 1,054 people with the first name Johnell. That placed it at #11,975 in the published Census first-name tables, or 0.35 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 Johnell 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 Johnell?
In the 2020 Census snapshot, Johnell was recorded as predominantly male. The published split was 71.0% male and 29.0% female.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Johnell?
In the 2020 Census, the first name Johnell was most commonly recorded among people who identified as Black (73.44%). The next largest recorded groups were White (14.56%) and Hispanic (5.48%). 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 Johnell a male name?
Johnell is predominantly male. 77.7% of people with this name are male. See the gender breakdown above for full details.
Why can Johnell 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. Johnell peaked in 1977, and the average living bearer is about 46 years old, so a name can still have millions of living bearers even after it stops feeling current for newborns.
How many Johnell Smiths are there?
To find how many people share a specific full name, we combine first name and surname frequencies. Try: Johnell Smith, Johnell Johnson, Johnell 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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