Davell

Meaning & origin

Davell is a modern American name that first appeared in U.S. Social Security records in 1973, part of a wave of invented names that repurposed the suffix -ell from surnames and given names. The name reached its peak frequency in 1993, a year that saw the highest number of baby boys named Davell. Since then, usage has been stable but very low, never entering the top 1000 rankings. While its exact origins are unclear, the name likely blends the familiar David with the -ell ending popularized in names like Darnell and Darrell. Davell has been used almost exclusively for boys, and today it remains a distinctive choice for parents seeking a name that feels both modern and familiar.

Davell is a modern coinage, likely arising in the United States in the late 20th century. It appears to be a blend of the name David, a Hebrew name meaning 'beloved,' with the fashionable suffix -ell, as seen in names like Darnell and Darrell. Alternatively, it may be a spelling variant of Davel, a diminutive of David used in Dutch and Afrikaans. The name first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1973 and saw modest use in the 1990s, particularly 1993.