Del Unisex

Popularity: #929 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: DEL //dɛl//

Origin: English; Hebrew; Irish

Meaning: English: from the valley; Hebrew: God is my judge; Irish: noble

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Del has its roots in Old English and is derived from the word "dell," which refers to a small valley or hollow. This term can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic *dallaz, which also means a valley or a low-lying area.

The transition into English occurred through the influence of Old Norse and Middle English, where the term evolved to describe geographical features, eventually becoming a surname and a given name in its own right. The name Del can also be seen as a diminutive form of names such as Delbert or Delmar, which have their own distinct etymological paths.

Historically, the name Del has been associated with various cultural and literary figures. Although not as prominent as some other names, it has appeared in literature and folklore, often symbolizing a connection to nature due to its geographical connotation.

The use of Del as a given name can be traced back to the 19th century, when it began to gain traction in English-speaking countries, reflecting a broader trend of adopting nature-inspired names during that period. Culturally, the name Del resonates with themes of tranquility and simplicity, evoking images of serene landscapes and pastoral settings.

This connection to the natural world has contributed to its endurance as a name choice. Additionally, the name has been used in various artistic expressions, including music and literature, further embedding it within cultural narratives.

While the name Del may not have the same historical weight as some biblical or royal names, its linguistic roots and associations with nature provide a unique perspective on its significance.

Famous people named Del

In this section, you will find notable people named Del. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Del who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Del who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Del Shannon is a singer-songwriter best known for Runaway, Hats Off to Larry, and Little Town Flirt.

Fictional characters named Del

The following list of fictional characters named Del is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Del is a fictional character from the video game series The Legend of Zelda. He is a key ally who assists Link in various quests throughout the games.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Del, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

DaleDeanDerekDylanDrewDustin

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Del. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

DelmarDelfinDellaDelaineDemiDerekDentonDenzel

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Del was first seen in the United States in 1909.

Del has ranked as high as #1343 nationally, which occurred in 1958, and has been most popular in California, Washington, Texas, Ohio, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Del has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Del is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Del was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Del.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 9 9 0
2024 12 12 0
2023 14 14 0
2022 9 9 0
2021 12 12 0
2020 15 15 0
2019 10 10 0
2018 8 8 0
2017 6 6 0
2016 12 12 0
2015 7 7 0
2014 11 11 0
2013 15 15 0
2012 6 6 0
2011 5 5 0
2010 10 10 0
2009 9 9 0
2008 10 10 0
2007 13 13 0
2006 13 13 0
2005 15 15 0
2004 5 5 0
2003 9 9 0
2002 9 9 0
2001 9 9 0
2000 12 12 0
1999 17 17 0
1998 12 12 0
1997 15 15 0
1996 16 16 0
1995 11 11 0
1994 15 15 0
1993 18 18 0
1992 14 14 0
1991 27 27 0
1990 22 22 0
1989 21 21 0
1988 18 18 0
1987 25 25 0
1986 18 18 0
1985 25 25 0
1984 27 27 0
1983 16 16 0
1982 10 10 0
1981 21 21 0
1980 20 20 0
1979 37 37 0
1978 31 31 0
1977 24 24 0
1976 33 33 0
1975 38 38 0
1974 43 43 0
1973 35 30 5
1972 50 50 0
1971 61 61 0
1970 87 80 7
1969 85 77 8
1968 96 81 15
1967 80 72 8
1966 87 76 11
1965 118 105 13
1964 100 100 0
1963 139 122 17
1962 120 109 11
1961 116 90 26
1960 152 135 17
1959 152 140 12
1958 168 143 25
1957 154 130 24
1956 143 112 31
1955 133 113 20
1954 143 122 21
1953 112 90 22
1952 113 90 23
1951 100 83 17
1950 93 72 21
1949 73 63 10
1948 94 83 11
1947 99 87 12
1946 72 64 8
1945 56 41 15
1944 48 37 11
1943 58 49 9
1942 62 50 12
1941 47 37 10
1940 56 45 11
1939 56 42 14
1938 58 43 15
1937 55 41 14
1936 54 41 13
1935 40 29 11
1934 42 32 10
1933 48 34 14
1932 36 22 14
1931 36 27 9
1930 31 22 9
1929 35 25 10
1928 27 19 8
1927 27 20 7
1926 25 19 6
1925 22 16 6
1924 26 17 9
1923 29 18 11
1922 21 9 12
1921 13 13 0
1920 10 10 0
1919 21 15 6
1918 19 13 6
1917 9 9 0
1916 14 14 0
1915 33 28 5
1914 9 9 0
1913 9 9 0
1912 8 8 0
1911 6 6 0
1910 5 5 0
1909 5 5 0

Top States for Del (1999)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
OH 5
100%