Renzel
A masculine name derived from the German name "Reinhold" meaning "brave counsel".
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Renzel. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Renzel today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Renzel births was 2017 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Renzel. 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 Renzel. 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
#11,896
Tracked since 2016
Popularity
Renzel: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Renzel 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 Renzel 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 Renzel
The given name Renzel is believed to have its origins in the Germanic languages, specifically in the Old High German dialect. It is thought to be derived from the root words "rēn," meaning "counsel" or "advice," and "waldan," meaning "to rule" or "to govern."
During the Middle Ages, the name Renzel gained popularity in various regions of present-day Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Its earliest recorded instances can be traced back to the 8th and 9th centuries, where it appeared in ancient manuscripts and records as "Renzilo" or "Renzelo."
One of the earliest known individuals bearing this name was Renzilo of Bergamo, an Italian nobleman and military leader who lived in the 9th century. He played a significant role in the defense of the city of Bergamo against the invading Hungarians.
In the 11th century, a notable figure named Renzel of Bamberg was a prominent cleric and scholar. He served as the Bishop of Bamberg from 1057 to 1065 and was known for his contributions to the intellectual and cultural life of the region.
During the 12th century, Renzel von Rothenburg, a German knight and crusader, participated in the Third Crusade under the leadership of Frederick Barbarossa. He distinguished himself in various battles against the Saracens and was celebrated for his bravery and valor.
In the 14th century, Renzel Kaufmann was a renowned merchant and businessman from the city of Nuremberg. He established a successful trading company that dealt in various goods, including spices and textiles, and his name became synonymous with entrepreneurial success in the region.
Another notable figure was Renzel Thaler, a 16th-century German artist and engraver. He was renowned for his intricate woodcuts and engravings, which depicted religious scenes, landscapes, and portraits. His works were highly sought after by collectors and patrons during his lifetime.
While the name Renzel has its roots in the Germanic languages, it has also been adopted and adapted in various other cultures and regions over the centuries, though its usage has remained relatively uncommon compared to more popular names.
People
Renzel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Renzel as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Renzel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Renzel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Renzel 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 Renzel a common name?
We classify Renzel 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 Renzel most popular?
The single biggest year for Renzel was 2017, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Renzel 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 Renzel in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Renzel a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Renzel 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 Renzel still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Renzel 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 Renzel 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 Renzel?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.