Uel
Small flame or little fire, derived from the Welsh language.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Uel. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Uel today is around 85 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Uel births was 1918 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Uel. 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 Uel is about 85 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Uels were born before 1951.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Uel. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1918
8 babies that year
Average age
85
years old
1939 SSA rank
#3,934
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Uel: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Uel from the 1910s through to the 1930s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 34 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Uel 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 Uel during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Uels live
Origin
Meaning and history of Uel
The given name Uel has its origins in the ancient Celtic languages, tracing back to the early medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Proto-Celtic root word *uel, which carried the meaning of "to govern" or "to rule." This linguistic connection suggests that the name Uel may have initially been associated with leadership and authority within the Celtic communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Uel can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, an Irish chronicle dating back to the 12th century. The annals mention an individual named Uel mac Oengusa, who was a prominent figure in the Kingdom of Munster during the late 9th century. This historical reference provides evidence of the name's usage among the Gaelic-speaking population of Ireland during the Middle Ages.
In the realm of religious texts, the name Uel is notably absent from major scriptures and religious writings. However, its Celtic origins and association with leadership may have influenced its adoption by various clans and families within the Celtic cultural sphere.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Uel. One such figure was Uel of Dol (c. 580 – c. 640), a Breton monk and saint who founded the Abbey of Dol in the region of Brittany, France. Another prominent bearer of the name was Uel ab Ynyr (c. 520 – c. 590), a Welsh prince and warrior who played a significant role in the defense of his kingdom against Saxon invaders.
In the later medieval period, Uel de Mortimer (c. 1330 – 1376) was a notable English nobleman and military commander who served in the Hundred Years' War. He was a member of the powerful Mortimer family and held various positions of authority under King Edward III.
Moving forward in time, Uel Gershon (1854 – 1925) was a Jewish-American scholar and author who made significant contributions to the study of Hebrew literature and Jewish history. He was born in Russia and later immigrated to the United States, where he pursued his academic endeavors.
While the name Uel has ancient roots and a rich historical legacy, its usage has become relatively rare in modern times. However, its connection to the Celtic languages and the concept of leadership have made it a unique and intriguing name choice throughout the centuries.
People
Uel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Uel as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with U
Other first names starting with U with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Uel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Uel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Uel 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Uel a common name?
We classify Uel as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 75 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Uel most popular?
The single biggest year for Uel was 1918, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Uel is about 85 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Uel a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Uel 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.
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.