Joel
Boy nameJoel has been given to 282,250 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It peaked in 1985 and currently ranks #219 for boys (2025).
Meaning & origin /ˈd͡ʒoʊ(ə)l/
From Hebrew יוֹאֵל (yo'él, “Yahweh (is) God”). As a medieval French and English given name, it is also from Breton Judicaël (related to Joyce and Jocelyn). Cf. Elijah.
Origin: Hebrew
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025
Total babies
282,250
Peak year
1985 (4,661 babies)
Rank in 2025
#219 for boys
First recorded
1880
10-year trend
▼ -37%
Gender split
1% girls / 99% boys
Famous people named Joel
Joel
Biblical prophet associated with the Book of Joel
Joel McHale
American actor and comedian
Joel Kinnaman
Swedish-American actor
Deadmau5
Canadian electronic dance music producer (born 1981)
Notability data from Wikidata (CC0).
Names with a similar vibe
Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Joel.
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