Edzel
A masculine name of uncertain origin, potentially derived from elements meaning "prosperity" or "wealth."
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Edzel. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Edzel today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Edzel births was 2017 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Edzel. 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 Edzel. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
2017
6 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2017 SSA rank
#11,143
Tracked since 2016
Popularity
Edzel: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Edzel 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 Edzel during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 11 | 0 | 11 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Edzel
The name Edzel is an intriguing one, shrouded in mystery and obscurity. Its origins are unknown, with no clear linguistic roots or cultural associations. Some speculate that it may be a variant or derivative of more common names, but there is little evidence to support this claim.
Despite its obscure beginnings, the name Edzel has managed to leave a few footprints throughout history. One of the earliest recorded instances of this name dates back to the 16th century, when an Edzel Mortimer was mentioned in a local parish record in England. Unfortunately, little is known about this individual beyond their name.
In the 19th century, an Edzel Browning, born in 1821, gained some notoriety as a minor poet and writer in Britain. His works, while not widely acclaimed, contributed to the literary landscape of the time.
The 20th century saw the emergence of Edzel Ford, born in 1893, the son of automotive pioneer Henry Ford. Despite his father's success, Edzel's life was marked by personal struggles, and he passed away at a relatively young age in 1943.
Across the Atlantic, Edzel Kenner, born in 1912, made a name for himself as a jazz musician and bandleader in New Orleans. His contributions to the city's rich musical heritage are still celebrated by aficionados today.
More recently, in the late 20th century, Edzel Fernandez, born in 1952, gained recognition as a prominent Filipino lawyer and human rights advocate. His work in defending civil liberties and promoting social justice has left a lasting impact.
While the name Edzel may be uncommon and its origins obscure, these individuals have left their mark on history, each in their own unique way. Their stories serve as a testament to the enduring power of a name, even one as enigmatic as this.
People
Edzel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Edzel 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
Edzel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Edzel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Edzel 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 31,159,485 US residents.
Is Edzel a common name?
We classify Edzel as "Very Rare". It ranks above 30.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Edzel most popular?
The single biggest year for Edzel was 2017, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Edzel is about 9 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 Edzel in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Edzel a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Edzel 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 Edzel still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Edzel 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 Edzel 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 the name Edzel?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.