Achel
A feminine name of uncertain origin and meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 37 living Americans carry the first name Achel. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Achel today is around 41 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Achel births was 1983 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Achel. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Achel. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
37
~ 1 in 9,263,631 Americans
Peak year
1983
7 babies that year
Average age
41
years old
1988 SSA rank
#9,246
Tracked since 1980
Popularity
Achel: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Achel by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Achel during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0 | 39 | 39 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Achel
The name Achel is believed to have its origins in ancient Hebrew culture, originating from the biblical name Ahel, which means "breath" or "vapor." It is often associated with the biblical figure Abel, the son of Adam and Eve, whose name carries a similar meaning.
The earliest recorded usage of the name Achel can be traced back to the Hebrew Bible, also known as the Old Testament, where it appears as a variant spelling of the name Abel. In the Book of Genesis, Abel is depicted as a shepherd and the younger son of Adam and Eve, who was tragically killed by his brother Cain out of jealousy.
Throughout history, the name Achel has been associated with various notable figures, such as Achel Douglas, a Scottish poet and writer in the 16th century, renowned for his works on religious and moral themes. Another notable bearer of the name was Achel de Guzmán, a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Peru alongside Francisco Pizarro in the early 16th century.
In the realm of literature, the name Achel appears in the works of renowned authors like William Shakespeare. In his play "King Lear," one of the characters is named Achel, although it is a minor role. Additionally, the name can be found in ancient religious texts and historical records from various cultures, highlighting its widespread usage across different regions and time periods.
Other notable individuals bearing the name Achel include Achel Gance, a pioneering French filmmaker known for his innovative techniques in the early 20th century, and Achel Zewde, an Ethiopian prince and son of Emperor Haile Selassie, who played a significant role in the country's political affairs during the mid-20th century.
While the name Achel has undergone various spellings and adaptations throughout history, its Hebrew roots and biblical associations have remained a constant thread, contributing to its enduring legacy and cultural significance across different societies and eras.
People
Achel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Achel as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Achel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Achel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 37 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Achel going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 9,263,631 US residents.
Is Achel a common name?
We classify Achel as "Very Rare". It ranks above 49.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 39 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Achel most popular?
The single biggest year for Achel was 1983, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Achel is about 41 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Achel in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Achel a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Achel in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Achel still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Achel in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Achel can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Achel as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the name Achel on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.