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Joel

Boy

Meaning of Joel: Hebrew: 'Yahweh is God'

Joel is a boy's name most strongly associated with Hebrew naming. It has 4 letters and 1 syllable, and it is a timeless pick that has stayed popular for over a century — 226th most popular boys' name in the United States in 2025 and 209th in England & Wales.

US rank 2025

#226

1,639 babies in 2025

England & Wales 2024

#209

240 babies in 2024

US babies since 1880

282,250

First recorded 1880 · peak 1985

Trend

falling

Style: classic

Popularity over time

1981: 4,587 babies1982: 4,485 babies1983: 4,394 babies1984: 4,568 babies1985: 4,661 babies1986: 4,556 babies1987: 4,173 babies1988: 3,982 babies1989: 3,963 babies1990: 4,037 babies19901991: 3,801 babies1992: 3,691 babies1993: 3,586 babies1994: 3,392 babies1995: 3,125 babies1996: 3,027 babies1997: 3,008 babies1998: 3,187 babies1999: 3,202 babies2000: 3,395 babies20002001: 3,182 babies2002: 3,206 babies2003: 3,256 babies2004: 3,249 babies2005: 3,288 babies2006: 3,469 babies2007: 3,433 babies2008: 3,753 babies2009: 3,569 babies2010: 3,074 babies20102011: 3,069 babies2012: 2,780 babies2013: 2,727 babies2014: 2,683 babies2015: 2,607 babies2016: 2,437 babies2017: 2,271 babies2018: 2,140 babies2019: 2,101 babies2020: 1,843 babies20202021: 1,804 babies2022: 1,780 babies2023: 1,753 babies2024: 1,646 babies2025: 1,639 babies
US babies named Joel per year (Social Security Administration). Peak bar = 4,661.

Gender split

99% boys · 1% girls, based on US, UK and international usage.

Origins & cultures

More Hebrew boys' names

Other names starting with J