Donell
Feminine · “A spelling of Donnell”
Donell is given to both — 591 girls and 4,827 boys since 1880. See Donell as a boy nameSee other names given to both
Donell is the Irish surname Donnell written with one n, a first name for boys and some girls. The O'Donnells ruled the northwest of Ireland from Donegal, a place named for a fort of foreigners.
How old is the name Donell?
Donell first appears in US birth records in 1932 — 93 years ago. The typical Donell alive today was born around 1966, making them about 59 years old. About 500 people named Donell are estimated to be alive in the US today.
When was the name Donell most popular?
Donell peaked in 1968, reaching #2538 nationally. See the whole 1968 chart.
Lists built from the same records:
Where it comes from
From Domhnall to Donell
The story of Donell
Donegal is Dún na nGall, 'the fort of the foreigners', usually taken to mean a Viking stronghold, and for centuries the lands around it were ruled by the O'Donnells, who built Donegal Castle on the river there. Donell, with one n, may come from that surname, or be Donald given the -ell ending of Darnell and Lowell; nothing records which. It is recorded mostly for boys, with a real minority of girls.
Meaning
A spelling of Donnell, from Irish Domhnall, 'world ruler'
Donnell is from Irish Domhnall, the name behind Donald. An American Donell may also be Donald given an -ell ending; which a family meant is not recorded.
How the name formed
- Domhnall
- Donnell
- Donell
Related forms: Domhnall · Donnell · Donald
Pronouncing Donell
doh-NEL
Two syllables with the stress on the second; some stress the first, DON-ul.
Nicknames for Donell
Moderate
What the data says
146 years of official birth records
The long climb, and where it stands now
The same years in position rather than babies
- First recorded
- 1932
- Most girls named
- 196824 — the highest on record
- Peak rank
- #2538reached in 1968
- Change vs 1987
- −14.3%6 in 1990, from 7
Rank is a position, a count is a headcount, and they move independently — a name can hold its rank while the number of babies behind it falls. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration.
Donell in other languages
The same name elsewhere
- Domhnall in Irish — same name
- Donnell in English — spelling variant
- Donald in Scottish — related form
Donells among us
people named Donell are estimated to be alive in the US today
Estimated from SSA birth records and published actuarial life tables. Method
Is it right for you
Questions parents actually ask
Fashion outlook
Donell sits outside the current charts, and that is its own kind of answer: naming cycles can only date the names they carried up. A name this rare has no decade stamped on it — it cannot go out of fashion, because it was never in.
Based on 146 years of naming cycles. How we read them
The trade-off
- A settled meaning.
- Comes with Don and Donnie as ready short forms.
- Works for either child.
- People will write Donnell or Darnell.
- The stress varies.
- Most children with this spelling are boys, but a real minority are girls; either may be taken for the other.
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Donell
Feminine
Frequently asked
- How many Donells are there in the world?
- No country counts the world's names, so there is no worldwide figure — anyone quoting one is estimating. About 500 people named Donell are estimated to be alive in the US today.
- How popular is the name Donell in 2025?
- Donell is rarely given in the US today — it does not rank in the top 2000 girl names.
- Will my child share the name Donell with classmates?
- Donell will almost certainly be the only one in school.
More D names
The most-given names starting with D, all years combined.
Dorothy#421 · Donna#1962 · Deborah#862 · Debra#4460 · Diane#2607 · Doris#2895 · Denise#1673 · Danielle#549
Looking for what else is popular rather than what resembles Donell? See the current top 100.
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US figures from the Social Security Administration. 1880–2025. Data & methodology
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