Russell is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Russell means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Russell across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Russell has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Russell is a boy name of Norman French origin meaning “little red one”. originally a nickname for someone with red hair.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 361,476 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 1,185 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 1,605 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 16 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 225 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 2,863 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Russell per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1960 (7,510/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1981 (117/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (111/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1980 (11/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2001 (7/yr).
Russell has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1960, when it ranked #118 nationally (given to 7,510 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1960s.
Rosella · Russel · Roselle · Roswell · Rozell · Rosell · Russella · Royzell
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