Thel
An uncommon name of unknown meaning and potential ancient origin.
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Thel. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Thel today is around 67 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Thel births was 1964 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Thel. 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 Thel is about 67 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Thels were born before 1969.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Thel. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1964
5 babies that year
Average age
67
years old
1964 SSA rank
#4,550
Tracked since 1964
Popularity
Thel: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Thel 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 Thel during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Thel
The given name Thel has its origins rooted in ancient Sumerian and Akkadian civilizations, dating back to around the 3rd millennium BC. It is derived from the Akkadian word "telu," which means "to be born." The name was prevalent among the inhabitants of Mesopotamia, the region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which is now part of modern-day Iraq.
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the earliest known literary works from ancient Mesopotamia, the character Thel appears as a minor figure. The name Thel is also found inscribed on cuneiform tablets from the ancient city of Ur, suggesting its use during the Sumerian and Akkadian periods.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Thel was Thel-ibni, a ruler of the ancient Sumerian city-state of Lagash, who lived around 2400 BC. Another notable historical figure with this name was Thel-Bazi, a Neo-Assyrian governor who served under King Sennacherib in the 7th century BC.
In ancient Greek mythology, Thel was the name of a minor deity associated with the underworld and the realm of the dead. This connection may have influenced the later use of the name in various cultures influenced by Greek mythology.
During the Middle Ages, the name Thel appeared in various forms in different regions. In medieval England, the name was sometimes spelled as "Thele" or "Thelus." One notable individual from this period was Thele de Verdun, a Norman nobleman who fought in the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
In the Renaissance era, the name Thel was occasionally used in literature and art. The English poet John Milton mentioned the name in his epic poem "Paradise Lost," published in 1667, although the context and meaning behind its use are not entirely clear.
Other historical figures bearing the name Thel include Thel Tshehaye, an Eritrean guerrilla fighter and revolutionary who played a significant role in the country's struggle for independence from Ethiopia in the 20th century. Tshehaye was born in 1943 and died in combat in 1977.
While the name Thel has ancient roots and has been used throughout history in various cultures, it has remained relatively uncommon in modern times, especially in comparison to other names with more widespread popularity.
People
Thel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Thel as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Thel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Thel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Thel 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 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Thel a common name?
We classify Thel as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% 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 Thel most popular?
The single biggest year for Thel was 1964, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Thel is about 67 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 Thel in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Thel a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Thel 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 Thel still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Thel 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 Thel 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 Americans are named Thel?
See how many people share the name Thel on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.