Richell
A French feminine name derived from the Germanic elements "ric" meaning power or rule, and "hild" meaning battle.
Name Census estimates that about 152 living Americans carry the first name Richell. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Richell today is around 45 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Richell births was 1987 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Richell. 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
152
~ 1 in 2,254,963 Americans
Peak year
1987
13 babies that year
Average age
45
years old
2001 SSA rank
#17,357
Tracked since 1961
Popularity
Richell: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Richell from the 1960s through to the 2000s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 43 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
Richell 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 Richell during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Richell
The name Richell is believed to have its origins in the Old English language, tracing back to the Anglo-Saxon era of Britain between the 5th and 11th centuries. It is likely derived from the Old English words "ric" meaning powerful or wealthy, and "hild" meaning battle or combat. The name may have been initially used to describe a powerful warrior or a person of noble birth and status.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Richell can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears to have been used by both men and women during this period, though it was more commonly given to males.
In the 12th century, a notable figure named Richell de Beaumont is mentioned in records as a Norman nobleman and crusader. He participated in the Third Crusade led by Richard the Lionheart and is believed to have fought valiantly in the Battle of Acre in 1191.
During the Middle Ages, the name Richell was particularly popular among the nobility and gentry of England. One notable bearer of the name was Sir Richell de Montfort, a 13th-century knight and member of the powerful Montfort family. He fought alongside Simon de Montfort during the Second Barons' War against King Henry III.
In the 16th century, a prominent figure named Richell Smyth is recorded as a successful merchant and landowner in the city of London. He was a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers and is known to have donated generously to charitable causes.
Another notable figure with the name Richell was Richell Crompton, a 17th-century English author and poet. She is best known for her work "The Souldier's Cabinet," a collection of poems published in 1638, which offered insight into the experiences of soldiers during the English Civil War.
While the name Richell was once more common, particularly among the upper classes and nobility of Britain, its usage declined over time. However, it has been revived in recent decades as a unique and distinctive name choice, often inspired by its historical associations with strength, power, and nobility.
People
Richell + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Richell 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
Richell: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Richell?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 152 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Richell 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 2,254,963 US residents.
Is Richell a common name?
We classify Richell as "Very Rare". It ranks above 70.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 166 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Richell most popular?
The single biggest year for Richell was 1987, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Richell is about 45 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Richell a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Richell 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.
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.