Burnell
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- bur-NEL
- Origin
- French
Burnell is a boys' name of French origin, meaning “little brown one”. Too few babies were given it in the latest year to rank.
What does Burnell mean?
French: English surname from Old French brunel
“little brown one”
An English surname from Old French brunel, a pet form of brun 'brown', for someone with brown hair or skin.
Is Burnell a girl's or a boy's name?
Burnell is a boys' name.
How popular is Burnell in the US?
No boys in the US were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 1920, with 67 boys. It first appears in the records in 1906.
Half of all the boys named Burnell in the US since 1880 were born between 1925 and 1958, the years shaded on the chart below.
In 1964, 20% of the babies named Burnell in the US were girls.
Burnell in the US, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 5 | #12,322 |
| 2021 | 0 | – |
| 2020 | 5 | #12,016 |
| 2019 | 0 | – |
| 2018 | 0 | – |
| 2017 | 5 | #12,241 |
| 2016 | 5 | #12,180 |
| 2015 | 0 | – |
| 2014 | 0 | – |
| 2013 | 10 | #7,532 |
| 2012 | 0 | – |
| 2011 | 7 | #9,593 |
| 2010 | 7 | #9,686 |
| 2009 | 0 | – |
| 2008 | 0 | – |
| 2007 | 0 | – |
| 2006 | 6 | #10,655 |
| 2005 | 0 | – |
| 2004 | 8 | #8,137 |
| 2003 | 5 | #10,886 |
| 2002 | 0 | – |
| 2001 | 5 | #10,548 |
| 2000 | 5 | #10,341 |
| 1999 | 12 | #5,311 |
| 1998 | 12 | #5,153 |
| 1997 | 0 | – |
| 1996 | 8 | #6,489 |
| 1995 | 5 | #8,861 |
| 1994 | 0 | – |
| 1993 | 13 | #4,440 |
| 1992 | 11 | #4,864 |
| 1991 | 11 | #4,752 |
| 1990 | 16 | #3,601 |
| 1989 | 15 | #3,612 |
| 1988 | 9 | #4,781 |
| 1987 | 10 | #4,233 |
| 1986 | 9 | #4,453 |
| 1985 | 11 | #3,802 |
| 1984 | 14 | #3,105 |
| 1983 | 13 | #3,229 |
| 1982 | 12 | #3,481 |
| 1981 | 16 | #2,777 |
| 1980 | 13 | #3,255 |
| 1979 | 13 | #3,167 |
| 1978 | 18 | #2,472 |
| 1977 | 14 | #2,909 |
| 1976 | 15 | #2,708 |
| 1975 | 16 | #2,538 |
| 1974 | 13 | #2,797 |
| 1973 | 17 | #2,309 |
| 1972 | 12 | #2,817 |
| 1971 | 10 | #3,144 |
| 1970 | 20 | #1,988 |
| 1969 | 19 | #1,913 |
| 1968 | 26 | #1,543 |
| 1967 | 24 | #1,572 |
| 1966 | 11 | #2,464 |
| 1965 | 16 | #1,986 |
| 1964 | 24 | #1,614 |
| 1963 | 16 | #2,043 |
| 1962 | 32 | #1,386 |
| 1961 | 17 | #1,996 |
| 1960 | 31 | #1,433 |
| 1959 | 28 | #1,500 |
| 1958 | 35 | #1,304 |
| 1957 | 39 | #1,249 |
| 1956 | 40 | #1,202 |
| 1955 | 29 | #1,418 |
| 1954 | 30 | #1,381 |
| 1953 | 51 | #1,014 |
| 1952 | 49 | #1,026 |
| 1951 | 32 | #1,294 |
| 1950 | 31 | #1,288 |
| 1949 | 43 | #1,071 |
| 1948 | 43 | #1,078 |
| 1947 | 44 | #1,092 |
| 1946 | 35 | #1,175 |
| 1945 | 39 | #1,015 |
| 1944 | 38 | #1,070 |
| 1943 | 34 | #1,170 |
| 1942 | 39 | #1,089 |
| 1941 | 46 | #938 |
| 1940 | 49 | #904 |
| 1939 | 37 | #1,052 |
| 1938 | 42 | #977 |
| 1937 | 50 | #869 |
| 1936 | 41 | #972 |
| 1935 | 49 | #903 |
| 1934 | 41 | #1,007 |
| 1933 | 56 | #824 |
| 1932 | 49 | #924 |
| 1931 | 48 | #939 |
| 1930 | 54 | #909 |
| 1929 | 52 | #930 |
| 1928 | 51 | #950 |
| 1927 | 49 | #1,001 |
| 1926 | 52 | #944 |
| 1925 | 59 | #871 |
| 1924 | 53 | #960 |
| 1923 | 56 | #913 |
| 1922 | 59 | #905 |
| 1921 | 64 | #868 |
| 1920 | 67 | #816 |
| 1919 | 44 | #1,024 |
| 1918 | 50 | #943 |
| 1917 | 44 | #982 |
| 1916 | 43 | #972 |
| 1915 | 49 | #879 |
| 1914 | 26 | #1,127 |
| 1913 | 28 | #930 |
| 1912 | 23 | #935 |
| 1911 | 10 | #1,116 |
| 1910 | 9 | #1,117 |
| 1909 | 9 | #1,020 |
| 1908 | 0 | – |
| 1907 | 0 | – |
| 1906 | 5 | #1,252 |
Names like Burnell
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Russell, Robert, William, Richard, Leroy, Thomas, Raymond, James, Philip, Bruce, Leonard, Marvin
More French names
Eleanor, Beau, Esme, Darcie, Darcy, Genevieve, Amy, Esmae, Arleth, Elle, Monty, Mallory, Percy, Lacey, Belle, Quincy
Sources
Figures from Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Burnell: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/burnell, updated 20 October 2026.