Stancel
Potentially originating as a variant of the name Stanley, of Old English origin meaning "stone clearing".
Name Census estimates that about 3 living Americans carry the first name Stancel. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Stancel today is around 83 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Stancel births was 1915 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Stancel. 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 Stancel is about 83 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Stancels were born before 1953.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Stancel. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
3
~ 1 in 114,251,446 Americans
Peak year
1915
5 babies that year
Average age
83
years old
1947 SSA rank
#4,201
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Stancel: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Stancel from the 1910s through to the 1940s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1940s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Stancel 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 Stancel 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 Stancel
The given name Stancel is believed to have its origins in the ancient Slavic language, which was spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabited parts of Eastern Europe and the Balkan region during the medieval period. The name is thought to be derived from the Slavic root "stan," which means "to stand" or "to dwell," combined with the diminutive suffix "-cel," suggesting a sense of endearment or affection.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Stancel can be found in the annals of the Principality of Polotsk, a medieval Slavic state located in present-day Belarus. In the 12th century, a nobleman named Stancel was mentioned as a prominent figure in the court of Prince Vseslav Vasilkovich.
In the 14th century, a Bohemian knight by the name of Stancel von Tarnau was noted for his bravery and military exploits during the Hussite Wars, a series of religious conflicts that engulfed the Kingdom of Bohemia (now part of the Czech Republic) in the early 15th century.
The name Stancel also appears in several ancient Slavic folktales and oral traditions, often associated with characters that embodied qualities such as resilience, determination, and loyalty. One such tale, originating from the region of Moravia (now part of the Czech Republic), tells the story of a young man named Stancel who embarked on a perilous journey to rescue his beloved from the clutches of a malevolent sorcerer.
In the 16th century, a renowned Bohemian alchemist and philosopher named Stancel Huber von Ripka made significant contributions to the study of natural sciences and the pursuit of the elusive Philosopher's Stone. His writings and theories influenced generations of scholars and intellectuals across Europe.
Another notable figure bearing the name Stancel was a Polish composer and musician who lived in the late 17th century. Stancel Przybylski was celebrated for his compositions for the lute and his innovative approach to harmonies, which helped shape the development of baroque music in Poland.
While the name Stancel may have fallen out of widespread usage in modern times, its rich history and connections to various Slavic cultures and traditions serve as a testament to the enduring legacy of this ancient moniker.
People
Stancel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Stancel as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Stancel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Stancel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Stancel 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 114,251,446 US residents.
Is Stancel a common name?
We classify Stancel as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Stancel most popular?
The single biggest year for Stancel was 1915, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Stancel 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 Stancel in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Stancel a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Stancel 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 Stancel still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Stancel 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 Stancel 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 share the name Stancel?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.