Given name & surname
Donell
“ruler of the world; a brown-haired warrior”
Donell is a variant of Donnell. One Scottish interpretation is “ruler of the world; a brown-haired warrior.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Donell is a variant of Donnell. One Scottish interpretation is “ruler of the world; a brown-haired warrior.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Donell is a variant of Donnell. An origin associated with Donnell is Scottish.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1915. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Donell through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 5,418
- 4,827 boys · 591 girls
- Most popular year
- 1959
- 110 babies
- 2025
- 13
- #6,554 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −25%
- Easing
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 13 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 6,554 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 24.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 99 in 1959. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 3,074 as a first name in 2020; 310 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.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
People named Donell
- Donell JonesAmerican recording artist; singer, songwriter and record producerborn 1973
- Donell TaylorAmerican basketball player (born 1982)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Donell, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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“one who is dearly loved”
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“one who is dearly loved” · “one who is greatly loved”
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Duane
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Darryl
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Dino
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Michel
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Dave
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>99% boys