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Name Lineage

    The first name Campbell

    A unisex name from Scottish Gaelic meaning “crooked”, “mouth”, “nose”.

    Pronounced /ˈkæmbəl/ 2 syllables Unisex Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Scottish Gaelic origin

    Campbell means “crooked”, “mouth”, “nose” in Scottish Gaelic.

    * As a Scottish surname, from Scottish Gaelic Caimbeul, from cam (“crooked”) + beul (“mouth”). Compare Cameron, from Scottish Gaelic cam (“crooked”) + sròn (“nose”). * As an Irish surname, from Mac Cathmhaoil (“son of Cathmhaol”), see Caulfield, Cowell. * As an English surname, variant of Camel, probably influenced by the above. * (duck breed): Developed by Adele Campbell.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 12 boys were named Campbell, making it the 2,014th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2004, with 32 births (#717).

    02040 1996200020052010201520202025
    545
    babies named Campbell, 1996–2025
    #2,014
    rank in 2025
    2004
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Campbell with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Campbell at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 474 girls born in the United States were named Campbell, the 617th most popular girls’ name that year.

    0250500 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    13,514
    babies named Campbell since 1880
    #617
    rank in 2025
    2025
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Nicknames for Campbell

    • Camp

    Famous people named Campbell

    26 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Jamie Campbell Bower
      British actor, born 1988
    • Campbell Scott
      Canadian American actor and film director (born 1961)
    • Stephen Campbell Moore
      British actor (born 1979)
    • Thomas Campbell Clark
      Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (1899-1977)
    • Campbell Newman
      38th Premier of Queensland, born 1963
    • Campbell Flakemore
      Australian bicycle racer, born 1992
    • Brian Campbell Vickery
      British information theorist (1918–2009)
    • Ronald Campbell Gunn
      Australian botanist and politician (1808-1881)
    • Archibald Campbell Tait
      Archbishop of Canterbury; Bishop of London; Dean of Carlisle (1811-1882)
    • Campbell Best
      Footballer, born 1986
    • George C. Scott
      American actor, film director and producer (1927–1999)
    • Niall Ferguson
      British historian, born 1964

    More Scottish Gaelic unisex names

    All 54 names of Scottish Gaelic origin

    Questions

    What does the name Campbell mean?
    Campbell means “crooked”, “mouth”, “nose” in Scottish Gaelic.
    What is the origin of the name Campbell?
    * As a Scottish surname, from Scottish Gaelic Caimbeul, from cam (“crooked”) + beul (“mouth”). Compare Cameron, from Scottish Gaelic cam (“crooked”) + sròn (“nose”). * As an Irish surname, from Mac Cathmhaoil (“son of Cathmhaol”), see Caulfield, Cowell. * As an English surname, variant of Camel,…
    How popular is the name Campbell?
    In 2025, 12 boys born in England and Wales were named Campbell, ranking 2,014th. Its peak was 2004, with 32 births.
    What are nicknames for Campbell?
    Common nicknames for Campbell include Camp.
    Is Campbell a boy's or a girl's name?
    Both. Of the 13,514 US babies named Campbell since 1880, 54% were girls and 46% boys.
    When was Campbell most popular?
    2025 in the United States, when 474 babies were named Campbell, its highest rank at 617th.
    How do you pronounce Campbell?
    Campbell is /ˈkæmbəl/, 2 syllables.
    Is Campbell also a surname?
    Yes. Campbell is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.