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    The first name Howell

    A boy’s name from Welsh.

    Pronounced /haʊ(w)əɫ/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Welsh origin

    From Welsh Hywel. Doublet of Huell and Powell.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Howell last appeared in the official list in 2024, given to 4 boys. It peaked in 2019, with 4 births (#3,937).

    0510 1996200020052010201520202025
    8
    babies named Howell, 1996–2025
    #4,270
    rank in 2024
    2019
    peak year

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

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Howell at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 12 boys born in the United States were named Howell, the 6,947th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1920, when 93 were.

    050100 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    3,923
    babies named Howell since 1880
    #6,947
    rank in 2025
    1920
    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.

    Famous people named Howell

    4 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Howell Cobb
      American politician (1815–1868)
    • Howell Heflin
      Democratic United States Senator from Alabama (1921-2005)
    • Howell Edmunds Jackson
      American jurist and politician (1832-1895)
    • Crawford Howell Toy
      American biblical and Hebrew scholar (1836–1919)

    More Welsh boys’ names

    All 78 names of Welsh origin

    Questions

    What does the name Howell mean?
    From Welsh Hywel. Doublet of Huell and Powell.
    What is the origin of the name Howell?
    From Welsh Hywel. Doublet of Huell and Powell.
    How popular is the name Howell?
    In 2024, 4 boys born in England and Wales were named Howell, ranking 4,270th. Its peak was 2019, with 4 births.
    Is Howell a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 3,923 US babies named Howell since 1880 were boys.
    When was Howell most popular?
    1920 in the United States, when 93 babies were named Howell, its highest rank at 665th.
    How do you pronounce Howell?
    Howell is /haʊ(w)əɫ/, 2 syllables.
    Is Howell also a surname?
    Yes. Howell is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.