How Many People Are Named Vernell?
An estimated 4,713 people in the United States have the first name Vernell. It is used for both genders, with 68.1% female. The average bearer is 64 years old, and Vernell peaked in popularity in 1935 with 215 births that year.
Below you will find a full statistical profile of Vernell 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 Vernell paired with any surname.
Key Insights
- Vernell has shifted from predominantly female to increasingly male in recent decades.
Estimated Living Americans
4,713
About 1 in 72,725 people in the U.S.
Rarity
Rare
Predicted Gender
Female
68.1% confidence
Average Age
64
years old
Peak Year
1935
215 births
Total Registered
10,468
since 1880
Gender Distribution for Vernell
Vernell is a genuinely unisex name, used for both males (31.9%) and females (68.1%). Out of 10,468 total births registered, 3,344 were male and 7,124 were female.
Vernell as a male name
Ranked #12,045 in 2021
6 male births in 2021
Peak: 1954 (67 births)
Vernell as a female name
Ranked #16,844 in 1999
5 female births in 1999
Peak: 1924 (178 births)
Vernell in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 4,484 people with the first name Vernell, which placed it at #4,240 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, Vernell was recorded as predominantly female. Out of 4,484 people with this name in that snapshot, 35.1% were male and 64.9% were female. That is very close to the long-run birth pattern in SSA records, where the name is female 68.1% of the time.
Census Count
4,484
people with this name
Census Rank
#4,240
among Census first names
Frequency Rate
1.48
per 100,000 people
Recorded Race and Hispanic Origin in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, the first name Vernell was most commonly recorded among people who identified as Black (79.29%). The next largest recorded groups were White (15.65%) and Two or More Races (2.16%).
These percentages describe the people who had the first name Vernell 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 Vernell.
| Group | Share | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Black | 79.29% | 3,556 |
| White | 15.65% | 702 |
| Two or More Races | 2.16% | 97 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.36% | 61 |
| Hispanic | 1.29% | 58 |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 0.25% | 11 |
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.
Vernell: Popularity Over Time
SSA records for Vernell span from the 1890s to the 2020s, covering 14 decades of naming data. The most popular decade for this name was the 1930s, when 1,950 babies were registered. Vernell has declined significantly from its peak in the 1930s. Recent registrations are a fraction of what they were at the name's height.
Vernell by Decade
How has Vernell 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.
Vernell by State
Birth registrations for Vernell span all 25 states and territories in the SSA database. The highest counts are in Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina. The lowest are in Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio. On average, about 237 Vernells were registered per state.
Vernell + Last Name Combinations
How many people share a full name with Vernell as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Names Similar to Vernell
Other first names starting with V with a similar number of bearers.
Vernell: Questions and Answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Vernell?
We estimate approximately 4,713 people named Vernell 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 72,725 Americans share this first name.
Is Vernell a common name?
Vernell is classified as "Rare" and is more popular than 96.4% of all first names in the SSA database. A total of 10,468 births have been registered with this name since 1880.
When was Vernell most popular?
Vernell reached peak popularity in 1935, when 215 babies were given this name. The average age of a living person named Vernell is approximately 64 years old, reflecting when the name was most commonly given.
How common was Vernell in the 2020 Census?
The 2020 Census recorded 4,484 people with the first name Vernell. That placed it at #4,240 in the published Census first-name tables, or 1.48 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 Vernell 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 Vernell?
In the 2020 Census snapshot, Vernell was recorded as predominantly female. The published split was 35.1% male and 64.9% female.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Vernell?
In the 2020 Census, the first name Vernell was most commonly recorded among people who identified as Black (79.29%). The next largest recorded groups were White (15.65%) and Two or More Races (2.16%). 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 Vernell a female name?
Vernell is predominantly female. 68.1% of people with this name are female. See the gender breakdown above for full details.
Why can Vernell 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. Vernell peaked in 1935, 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 Vernell Smiths are there?
To find how many people share a specific full name, we combine first name and surname frequencies. Try: Vernell Smith, Vernell Johnson, Vernell 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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