Morrel
Of French origin and meaning "brown" or "dark complexion".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Morrel. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Morrel today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Morrel births was 1925 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Morrel. 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 Morrel. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1925
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1925 SSA rank
#4,686
Tracked since 1925
Popularity
Morrel: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Morrel 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 Morrel during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Morrel
The name Morrel is believed to have originated from the Old French word "morel," which means "dark-skinned" or "swarthy." This name likely emerged during the Middle Ages in France, where it was used as a descriptive nickname for individuals with darker complexions.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Morrel can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and wealth commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Morel," referring to a landowner or tenant in various regions of England.
In medieval times, the name Morrel was associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including nobility, clergy, and commoners. One notable figure bearing this name was Sir Morrel de Berkele, a 12th-century English knight who fought in the Third Crusade alongside King Richard I.
During the Renaissance period, the name Morrel gained popularity among artists and intellectuals. One such individual was Morrel de Tours, a 16th-century French painter known for his religious works and portraiture.
In the 18th century, the name Morrel was carried by Morrel de Vindé, a French aristocrat and military officer who served under King Louis XVI. He played a significant role in the French Revolution and was later executed during the Reign of Terror in 1794.
Another notable figure with the name Morrel was Morrel Theobald, an English botanist and naturalist born in 1757. He made significant contributions to the study of plant life and is credited with the discovery of several new species.
As the name Morrel spread across Europe, it also found its way to other parts of the world through exploration and migration. One such example is Morrel Mackenzie, a Scottish explorer and trader who traveled extensively in North America during the late 18th century, establishing trade routes and forging relationships with indigenous communities.
Throughout history, the name Morrel has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds, representing various professions, social classes, and cultural traditions. While its origins can be traced back to Old French, the name has transcended its linguistic roots and become a part of the global tapestry of human names.
People
Morrel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Morrel 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
Morrel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Morrel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Morrel 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 - US residents.
Is Morrel a common name?
We classify Morrel as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% 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 Morrel most popular?
The single biggest year for Morrel was 1925, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Morrel is about 0 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 Morrel in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Morrel a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Morrel 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 Morrel still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Morrel 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 Morrel 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 Morrel?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the name Morrel on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.