Ludell
A variant spelling of Ludel, a feminine name of uncertain origin.
Name Census estimates that about 26 living Americans carry the first name Ludell. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ludell today is around 83 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ludell births was 1924 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ludell. 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 Ludell is about 83 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Ludells were born before 1953.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Ludell. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
26
~ 1 in 13,182,859 Americans
Peak year
1924
16 babies that year
Average age
83
years old
1959 SSA rank
#6,828
Tracked since 1909
Popularity
Ludell: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ludell from the 1900s through to the 1950s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 99 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ludell 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 Ludell during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Ludells live
Origin
Meaning and history of Ludell
The given name Ludell has its origins in the Germanic languages, with roots that can be traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a variation of the German name Ludolf, which itself is derived from the Old German words "lud" meaning "people" and "wolf" meaning "wolf."
In its earliest form, Ludell was likely a name bestowed upon individuals who were perceived as leaders or protectors of their community, drawing upon the symbolic association of wolves as guardians of the pack. This name was particularly prevalent in regions where Germanic tribes and cultures held sway, such as parts of modern-day Germany, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia.
While there are no definitive records of the name Ludell appearing in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its close relative, Ludolf, can be found in various historical documents dating back to the 9th century. One notable example is Ludolf of Saxony, a Benedictine monk and chronicler who lived from around 1300 to 1370.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Ludell itself can be traced back to the 16th century, with records showing individuals bearing this name in various parts of Europe. One such example is Ludell von Münster, a German nobleman and military commander who lived during the latter half of the 16th century.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Ludell, including:
1. Ludell Wilkinson (1887-1967), an American businessman and politician who served as the 33rd Governor of Kentucky from 1963 to 1967.
2. Ludell Beckham (1919-2001), an American jazz drummer and percussionist who was active in the 1940s and 1950s, performing with artists like Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker.
3. Ludell Owens (1920-2011), an American educator and civil rights activist who played a significant role in desegregating public schools in Missouri during the 1950s and 1960s.
4. Ludell Jones (born 1955), an American basketball player who played professionally in the NBA for the Philadelphia 76ers and Detroit Pistons during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
5. Ludell Rhodes (born 1962), an American jazz saxophonist and composer known for his work in the avant-garde and free jazz genres, performing with artists like Muhal Richard Abrams and Henry Threadgill.
While the name Ludell may not be as common today as it once was, its rich historical roots and connections to various cultures and individuals throughout the centuries make it a unique and fascinating name with a storied past.
People
Ludell + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ludell as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ludell: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ludell?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 26 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ludell 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 13,182,859 US residents.
Is Ludell a common name?
We classify Ludell as "Very Rare". It ranks above 44.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 247 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ludell most popular?
The single biggest year for Ludell was 1924, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ludell is about 83 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 Ludell in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ludell a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ludell 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 Ludell still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ludell 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 Ludell 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 are named Ludell?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.