Makell
Of English origin, a variant spelling of the name Mitchell.
Name Census estimates that about 480 living Americans carry the first name Makell. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 69.3% of registrations being male. The average person named Makell today is around 19 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Makell births was 2007 (35 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Makell. 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
480
~ 1 in 714,072 Americans
Peak year
2007
35 babies that year
Average age
19
years old
2023 SSA rank
#11,715
Tracked since 1992
Gender
Gender distribution for Makell
Makell is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 486 total registrations, 337 (69.3%) were male and 149 (30.7%) were female.
Makell as a male name
- Ranked #11,715 in 2023
- 6 male births in 2023
- Peak: 2008 (25 births)
Makell as a female name
- Ranked #14,084 in 2013
- 7 female births in 2013
- Peak: 1999 (11 births)
Popularity
Makell: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Makell from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 252 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Makell 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 Makell during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Makells live
Origin
Meaning and history of Makell
The given name Makell has its origins in the ancient Celtic language, which was spoken across various regions of Europe, including parts of modern-day France, Spain, and the British Isles. The name is believed to have derived from the Celtic word "makel," which translates to "bright" or "shining." It was a name commonly given to children born during the summer solstice, symbolizing the warmth and radiance of the sun.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Makell can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, a medieval Irish chronicle dating back to the 11th century. The annals document the life of Makell mac Tomaltaig, a prominent chieftain from the Kingdom of Munster, who lived in the early 9th century and played a significant role in the political landscape of that era.
In the 12th century, a Welsh monk named Makell ap Rhys gained recognition for his scholarly contributions to the preservation of Celtic literature and folklore. His transcriptions of ancient Celtic tales and poems have been invaluable in understanding the rich cultural heritage of the region.
During the medieval period, the name Makell was particularly popular among the Celtic populations of Scotland and Ireland. One notable figure was Makell O'Neill, a 15th-century Irish warrior and chieftain of the O'Neill clan, who led his people in numerous battles against English forces during the Tudor conquest of Ireland.
In the 16th century, a Scottish philosopher and theologian named Makell Geddes made significant contributions to the intellectual discourse of his time. His writings on ethics, metaphysics, and theology were widely read and debated throughout Europe.
Another prominent figure bearing the name Makell was a 17th-century Welsh poet and bard named Makell ab Ifan. His poetic works, which celebrated the beauty of the Welsh landscape and the rich cultural traditions of his people, are still studied and appreciated today.
While the name Makell may have lost some of its popularity in more recent times, its historical roots and cultural significance remain deeply embedded in the Celtic heritage. The name continues to be a reminder of the vibrant and enduring traditions of these ancient peoples.
People
Makell + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Makell as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Makell: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Makell?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 480 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Makell 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 714,072 US residents.
Is Makell a common name?
We classify Makell as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 486 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Makell most popular?
The single biggest year for Makell was 2007, when 35 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Makell is about 19 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Makell a male name?
Yes, 69.3% of people registered as Makell 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.