Holding steady.
Popularity of Parnell since 1912
Babies named Parnell per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1963, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Parnell's real moment was 1917.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 91 |
| 1920s | 158 |
| 1930s | 139 |
| 1940s | 120 |
| 1950s | 145 |
| 1960s | 262 |
| 1970s | 156 |
| 1980s | 166 |
| 1990s | 111 |
| 2000s | 50 |
| 2010s | 24 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Parnell is a rare and distinctive name that first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1912. It reached its peak popularity in 1917, but has since settled into steady obscurity, with no recent resurgence. The name's strongest association is with the Irish political figure Charles Stewart Parnell, though it likely originated as a variant of the medieval English name Pernel. Parents choosing Parnell today might appreciate its historical heft and uncommon sound, though it remains firmly outside the mainstream.
Parnell is predominantly a surname, famously associated with the 19th-century Irish political leader Charles Stewart Parnell. As a given name, it may have emerged in the early 1900s, possibly as a transferred use of the surname or as a variant of Pernel, a medieval English name derived from the Old French 'Peronelle', a diminutive of Peter. The name saw modest use in the United States in the 1910s, peaking in 1917, but has since become rare.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Par, Nell
Variants: Pernel, Parnall
Sibling names for Parnell
Names that share Parnell's style, for a brother or sister.
