Axcel
A combination of the prefix "ax" meaning axis and "cel" meaning celestial.
Name Census estimates that about 365 living Americans carry the first name Axcel. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Axcel today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Axcel births was 2011 (30 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Axcel. 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.
People living today
365
~ 1 in 939,053 Americans
Peak year
2011
30 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,279
Tracked since 1991
Popularity
Axcel: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Axcel from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 171 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Axcel remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Axcel 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 Axcel during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Axcels live
Origin
Meaning and history of Axcel
The name Axcel has its roots in the Old Norse language, originating from the word "aksill," which means "axle" or "axis." This name likely emerged during the Viking Age, between the 8th and 11th centuries, when the Norse people occupied and explored parts of Europe, including Scandinavia, the British Isles, and beyond.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Axcel can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, a collection of historical narratives dating back to the 13th century. These sagas often featured characters with names rooted in Old Norse, reflecting the cultural significance of naming traditions.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Axcel. One prominent example is Axcel Oxenstierna (1583-1654), a Swedish statesman and Lord High Chancellor during the reign of King Gustavus Adolphus. He played a crucial role in shaping Swedish foreign policy and strengthening the country's position as a major European power.
Another historical figure bearing the name Axcel is Axcel Vordingborg (1530-1603), a Danish naval officer and admiral who served under King Frederick II. He is renowned for his contributions to the Danish navy and his role in various maritime conflicts during the 16th century.
In the realm of literature, Axcel Olrik (1864-1917) was a Danish scholar and folklore researcher. He is best known for his work in collecting and preserving Danish folk tales and ballads, which helped shed light on the cultural heritage of Denmark.
Moving to the field of art, Axcel Gallen-Kallela (1865-1931) was a Finnish painter and illustrator who played a significant role in the Finnish national romantic movement. His works, often depicting scenes from the Kalevala (the Finnish national epic), have become iconic representations of Finnish culture and identity.
Finally, Axcel Skovgaard (1858-1938) was a Danish painter and sculptor known for his religious works, including the frescoes and sculptures he created for various churches in Denmark. His art reflected the spiritual and cultural values of his time, making him a prominent figure in the Danish art scene.
While the name Axcel may not be as common today as it once was, its historical significance and connections to various cultural and linguistic traditions have left an indelible mark on the rich tapestry of human history.
People
Axcel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Axcel 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
Axcel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Axcel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 365 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Axcel 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 939,053 US residents.
Is Axcel a common name?
We classify Axcel as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 369 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Axcel most popular?
The single biggest year for Axcel was 2011, when 30 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Axcel is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Axcel a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Axcel in the SSA data are male. 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.
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.