Holding steady, #12,008 for boys today.
Popularity of Dontrel since 1980
Babies named Dontrel per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 53 |
| 1990s | 111 |
| 2000s | 78 |
| 2010s | 16 |
| 2020s | 5 |
Meaning & origin
Dontrel entered U.S. naming records in 1980, a product of the creative naming boom that flourished in African American communities during the late 20th century. Its peak popularity came in 1993, when it ranked highest among American boys. After that year, usage declined steadily and has remained stable at a low level since the 2000s. The 2025 data shows it ranked 12,008th, with only about 1 in 341,615 newborns receiving the name. Dontrel has never been concentrated in any particular state, reflecting its scattered but persistent use. Its trajectory illustrates the lifecycle of a modern invented name: a sharp rise, a peak, and a long gentle decline into rarity.
Dontrel is a modern American coinage, first recorded in the 1980s. It appears to follow the pattern of names like Dontrell and Montrel, using the syllable Don- (perhaps from Donald or Anthony) with the suffix -trel, reminiscent of names like Kendrell. Its rise and fall mirror trends in similar invented names of the late 20th century.
Nicknames & variants
Sibling names for Dontrel
Names that share Dontrel's style, for a brother or sister.
