Jermell
An American masculine name derived from Germany, meaning "noble leader".
Name Census estimates that about 591 living Americans carry the first name Jermell. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Jermell today is around 36 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jermell births was 1981 (32 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jermell. 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
591
~ 1 in 579,957 Americans
Peak year
1981
32 babies that year
Average age
36
years old
2021 SSA rank
#7,834
Tracked since 1972
Popularity
Jermell: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Jermell from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 225 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jermell 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 Jermell during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Jermells live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. New York, Missouri, Ohio recorded the most babies named Jermell, while Ohio, Missouri, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 13 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Jermell
The name Jermell is of English origin and is believed to have emerged in the late 19th century. It is a combination of the Germanic name Jeremiah and the French name Mell or Mel. The name Jeremiah can be traced back to the Hebrew name Yirmeyahu, which means "Yahweh has uplifted" or "Yahweh has appointed." The French name Mell or Mel is derived from the Latin name Amelius, which means "industrious" or "hardworking."
The earliest recorded use of the name Jermell is found in the United States census records from the late 1800s. However, it was relatively uncommon until the 20th century. One of the earliest known individuals with the name Jermell was Jermell Jackson, an American boxer who competed in the early 1900s. He was born in 1889 and was known for his participation in several high-profile boxing matches in the early 20th century.
Another notable individual with the name Jermell was Jermell Stokes, an American musician and singer who was active in the 1950s and 1960s. He was born in 1932 and was a part of the Harlem Renaissance music scene. Stokes is known for his contributions to the development of jazz and blues music during that era.
In the field of literature, Jermell Timmons was an American author and poet who lived from 1920 to 2005. He is best known for his collection of poems titled "Echoes of the Soul," which explored themes of identity, love, and social justice.
Jermell Davis was an American civil rights activist who played a significant role in the struggle for racial equality in the United States. Born in 1935, he was actively involved in the Civil Rights Movement and participated in several marches and protests, including the famous March on Washington in 1963.
Another individual with the name Jermell who made a mark in history was Jermell Pritchard, a British explorer and adventurer who lived from 1890 to 1962. He is known for his expeditions to various parts of the world, including Africa, Asia, and South America, where he documented the cultures and landscapes he encountered.
While the name Jermell has roots in various linguistic and cultural traditions, it remains a relatively uncommon name, especially in modern times. However, the individuals mentioned above have contributed to various fields, including sports, music, literature, civil rights activism, and exploration, leaving their mark on history.
People
Jermell + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jermell as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with J
Other first names starting with J with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Jermell: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jermell?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 591 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jermell 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 579,957 US residents.
Is Jermell a common name?
We classify Jermell as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 615 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jermell most popular?
The single biggest year for Jermell was 1981, when 32 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jermell is about 36 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Jermell a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jermell 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.