Given name & surname
Dell
“from the small valley”
Dell is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “from the small valley.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “from the small valley.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
It entered given-name use through an existing surname.
The story
Its naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Dell through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 6,552
- 4,008 boys · 2,544 girls
- Most popular year
- 1953
- 133 babies
- 2025
- 6
- #10,978 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +100%
- Rising fast
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 100% boys.
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 6 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 10,978 among boys’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 3,332 as a first name in 2020; 7,130 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Dell’s family of names
In English usage, Dell as a surname shares an earlier linguistic root with Dahl. Dell has a related form in Della. Dell has a related form in Del.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Dell
- Dell CurryAmerican basketball player (born 1964)
- Dell HymesAmerican anthropologist and linguist (1927–2009)
- Dell HendersonCanadian actor, writer and director (1877-1956)1883–1956
- Dell DempsAmerican basketball player-coachborn 1970
- Dell L. Daileyformer head of the State Department's counterterrorism officeborn 1949
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Dell, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Darrel
“one who is dearly loved”
>99% boys
Carnell
“the defender of the castle”
>99% boys
Derwin
“a friend of the deer; a gifted friend”
>99% boys
Daryl
“one who is greatly loved”
99% boys · 1% girls
Al
“one who counsels the elves” · “one who is noble and bright”
>99% boys
Hal
“the ruler of the house” · “home”
>99% boys
Dan
“he judged”
97% boys · 3% girls
Bill
“the determined protector” · “will”
>99% boys