Xoel
A unique name of uncertain origin, possibly a variant of Joel.
Name Census estimates that about 22 living Americans carry the first name Xoel. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Xoel today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Xoel births was 2024 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Xoel. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Xoel with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Xoel. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
22
~ 1 in 15,579,743 Americans
Peak year
2024
7 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,838
Tracked since 2018
Popularity
Xoel: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Xoel from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 17 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
Xoel 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 Xoel 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 Xoel
Xoel is an extremely rare given name with origins that are difficult to pinpoint precisely. Some suggest it may have ancient roots in the Iberian Peninsula, potentially derived from an archaic Celtic or Basque word, though records of its early usage are scarce.
One theory traces the name back to the medieval Kingdom of Navarre, where it may have been a variant spelling of the name Xoel, which itself is believed to be a contracted form of the Spanish name Xiobel or Xibel. However, definitive evidence of its etymology remains elusive.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Xoel appears to be in the 13th century, when a nobleman named Xoel de Navarra was mentioned in a charter from the region of Navarre. Beyond this isolated reference, the name seems to have fallen into disuse for several centuries.
It wasn't until the 16th century that the name resurfaced, this time in Portugal. A painter named Xoel da Silva, born around 1520 in Lisbon, gained some renown for his religious artwork adorning churches in the region. His works can still be found in several Portuguese cathedrals today.
Another notable bearer of the name was Xoel Martínez, a Spanish philosopher and theologian who lived in the late 17th century. Martínez was a prominent figure in the intellectual circles of his time and authored several treatises on metaphysics and the nature of reality.
In more recent times, a Mexican artist named Xoel López gained recognition in the early 20th century for his vibrant murals and frescoes depicting scenes from Mexican history and folklore. López's works can be found adorning public buildings throughout Mexico City.
Finally, Xoel Pimentel was a Peruvian novelist and poet who lived from 1920 to 1995. Pimentel's literary works, which often explored themes of social justice and indigenous rights, earned him critical acclaim and several prestigious literary awards in his lifetime.
While the name Xoel remains exceedingly rare today, these individuals throughout history have left an indelible mark on the cultural and intellectual landscapes of their respective regions, ensuring that this enigmatic name will continue to intrigue and captivate those who encounter it.
People
Xoel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Xoel as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with X
Other first names starting with X with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Xoel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Xoel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 22 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Xoel 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 15,579,743 US residents.
Is Xoel a common name?
We classify Xoel as "Very Rare". It ranks above 41.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 22 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Xoel most popular?
The single biggest year for Xoel was 2024, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Xoel is about 5 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 Xoel in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Xoel a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Xoel 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 Xoel still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Xoel 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 Xoel 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 have Xoel as a first name?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.