Earmel
A masculine name of English origin meaning "wealthy protector".
Name Census estimates that about 3 living Americans carry the first name Earmel. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Earmel today is around 79 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Earmel births was 1947 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Earmel. 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
- • The typical person named Earmel is about 79 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Earmels were born before 1957.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Earmel. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
3
~ 1 in 114,251,446 Americans
Peak year
1947
5 babies that year
Average age
79
years old
1947 SSA rank
#3,887
Tracked since 1947
Popularity
Earmel: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Earmel 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 Earmel during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Earmel
The name Earmel has its origins in the ancient Celtic language spoken by the Gaelic people who inhabited the British Isles. It is derived from the root words "ear" meaning earth and "mel" meaning honey or sweet. The name can be interpreted to mean "sweet earth" or "earth's sweetness".
Earmel was a relatively common name among the Gaelic tribes of Scotland and Ireland during the early medieval period. It appears in several ancient texts and folklore stories, often associated with characters who had a deep connection to nature and the land.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Earmel can be found in the Annals of Ulster, an ancient chronicle dating back to the 5th century AD. The text mentions an Irish chieftain named Earmel mac Conall, who led his clan in battles against rival tribes.
In the 9th century, there was a renowned Irish monk and scholar named Earmel of Armagh. He is known for his contributions to the study of Celtic languages and his translations of ancient texts from Latin to Old Irish.
During the 12th century, a Scottish noblewoman named Earmel MacDonald played a significant role in the conflicts between the Scottish clans and the English crown. She was known for her bravery and her unwavering loyalty to the Scottish cause.
In the 16th century, an English poet and playwright named Earmel Spenser gained recognition for his work "The Faerie Queene". He is often cited as one of the most influential writers of the Renaissance period.
Another notable figure with the name Earmel was a French botanist and explorer named Earmel Rousseau, who lived in the late 18th century. He was renowned for his discoveries and documentation of numerous plant species during his expeditions to the Americas.
While the name Earmel has declined in popularity in recent times, it remains a part of history, echoing the rich cultural heritage of the Celtic people and their deep connection to the natural world.
People
Earmel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Earmel as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Earmel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Earmel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Earmel 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 114,251,446 US residents.
Is Earmel a common name?
We classify Earmel as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Earmel most popular?
The single biggest year for Earmel was 1947, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Earmel is about 79 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 Earmel in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Earmel a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Earmel 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.
Is Earmel still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Earmel 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 Earmel 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 Americans are named Earmel?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.