Russell Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: RUSS-uhl //ˈrʌsəl//
Origin: Old French; Latin
Meaning: Old French: red-haired; Latin: to rust
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Russell has its origins in the Old French word "rous," meaning "red," which itself derives from the Latin "rufus," also meaning "red-haired." The name entered the English language after the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, when many Old French terms were adopted into English. The diminutive form "Russ" emerged as a familiar variant, often used in informal contexts.
Historically, the name Russell is associated with several notable figures. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of the 13th-century English noble family, the Russell family, which rose to prominence during the medieval period.
The name gained further recognition with the 1st Earl of Bedford, Francis Russell, who lived in the 16th century and was a significant figure in the English court. Additionally, the name is linked to the philosopher and social critic Bertrand Russell, who was influential in the 20th century, contributing to various fields including logic, mathematics, and social theory.
Culturally, the name Russell has been imbued with various symbolic meanings, often associated with qualities such as strength and leadership, likely due to its historical connections to nobility and intellectualism. The name has also appeared in literature and the arts, reinforcing its enduring presence in English-speaking cultures.
The name's association with the color red may evoke notions of passion and vitality, which have contributed to its lasting appeal across generations.
Famous people named Russell
In this section, you will find notable people named Russell. 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 Russell who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Russell 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.
Russell Crowe is an actor best known for Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind, and Les Misérables.
Russell Brand is a comedian and actor best known for Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him to the Greek, and Arthur.
Russell Wilson is a football player best known for his time with the Seattle Seahawks and winning Super Bowl XLVIII.
Russell Simmons is a music producer and entrepreneur best known for co-founding Def Jam Recordings and his work in hip-hop culture.
Russell T Davies is a television writer and producer best known for Doctor Who and Queer as Folk.
Russell Baker is a journalist and author best known for his work with The New York Times and his memoir Growing Up.
Russell Hornsby is an actor best known for his roles in Lincoln Heights, Grimm, and The Hate U Give.
Russell Peters is a comedian best known for his stand-up specials and his work on The Russell Peters Show.
Russell Gage is a football player best known for his time with the Atlanta Falcons and his performance as a wide receiver.
Fictional characters named Russell
The following list of fictional characters named Russell 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.
Russell is a fictional character from the animated film Up. He is a young boy scout who joins Carl Fredricksen on an adventure to fulfill his dream of helping the elderly.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Russell, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Russell. 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.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Russell was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Russell has ranked as high as #114 nationally, which occurred in 1960, and has been most popular in California, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and Illinois.
In the past 5 years the name Russell has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Russell 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 Russell was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Russell (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 84 | |
| TX | 55 | |
| PA | 47 | |
| OH | 40 | |
| NY | 38 | |
| NC | 36 | |
| MN | 32 | |
| MI | 30 | |
| IL | 29 | |
| TN | 27 | |
| VA | 26 | |
| UT | 25 | |
| FL | 23 | |
| GA | 22 | |
| WA | 22 |
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 Russell.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 892 |
| 2023 | 814 |
| 2022 | 866 |
| 2021 | 919 |
| 2020 | 842 |
| 2019 | 804 |
| 2018 | 769 |
| 2017 | 789 |
| 2016 | 785 |
| 2015 | 769 |
| 2014 | 757 |
| 2013 | 672 |
| 2012 | 657 |
| 2011 | 707 |
| 2010 | 698 |
| 2009 | 646 |
| 2008 | 726 |
| 2007 | 712 |
| 2006 | 740 |
| 2005 | 730 |
| 2004 | 768 |
| 2003 | 811 |
| 2002 | 838 |
| 2001 | 925 |
| 2000 | 894 |
| 1999 | 855 |
| 1998 | 952 |
| 1997 | 1,100 |
| 1996 | 1,086 |
| 1995 | 1,205 |
| 1994 | 1,269 |
| 1993 | 1,517 |
| 1992 | 1,711 |
| 1991 | 1,833 |
| 1990 | 2,213 |
| 1989 | 2,217 |
| 1988 | 2,298 |
| 1987 | 2,379 |
| 1986 | 2,407 |
| 1985 | 2,573 |
| 1984 | 2,685 |
| 1983 | 2,744 |
| 1982 | 3,033 |
| 1981 | 3,048 |
| 1980 | 3,269 |
| 1979 | 3,132 |
| 1978 | 2,984 |
| 1977 | 3,124 |
| 1976 | 2,999 |
| 1975 | 3,232 |
| 1974 | 3,168 |
| 1973 | 3,397 |
| 1972 | 3,783 |
| 1971 | 4,543 |
| 1970 | 5,106 |
| 1969 | 5,156 |
| 1968 | 5,097 |
| 1967 | 4,890 |
| 1966 | 4,858 |
| 1965 | 5,645 |
| 1964 | 6,241 |
| 1963 | 6,699 |
| 1962 | 7,044 |
| 1961 | 7,335 |
| 1960 | 7,482 |
| 1959 | 7,480 |
| 1958 | 7,153 |
| 1957 | 7,224 |
| 1956 | 7,402 |
| 1955 | 6,538 |
| 1954 | 5,761 |
| 1953 | 5,374 |
| 1952 | 5,349 |
| 1951 | 5,175 |
| 1950 | 4,945 |
| 1949 | 5,007 |
| 1948 | 5,109 |
| 1947 | 5,270 |
| 1946 | 4,741 |
| 1945 | 3,806 |
| 1944 | 3,931 |
| 1943 | 3,752 |
| 1942 | 3,675 |
| 1941 | 3,032 |
| 1940 | 3,012 |
| 1939 | 2,833 |
| 1938 | 2,950 |
| 1937 | 2,895 |
| 1936 | 2,832 |
| 1935 | 2,832 |
| 1934 | 2,737 |
| 1933 | 2,697 |
| 1932 | 3,020 |
| 1931 | 2,943 |
| 1930 | 3,101 |
| 1929 | 3,183 |
| 1928 | 3,325 |
| 1927 | 3,540 |
| 1926 | 3,793 |
| 1925 | 3,804 |
| 1924 | 3,946 |
| 1923 | 3,805 |
| 1922 | 3,965 |
| 1921 | 3,946 |
| 1920 | 3,901 |
| 1919 | 3,645 |
| 1918 | 3,833 |
| 1917 | 3,436 |
| 1916 | 3,330 |
| 1915 | 3,250 |
| 1914 | 2,568 |
| 1913 | 1,946 |
| 1912 | 1,449 |
| 1911 | 770 |
| 1910 | 615 |
| 1909 | 528 |
| 1908 | 523 |
| 1907 | 503 |
| 1906 | 459 |
| 1905 | 432 |
| 1904 | 473 |
| 1903 | 390 |
| 1902 | 422 |
| 1901 | 395 |
| 1900 | 427 |
| 1899 | 338 |
| 1898 | 359 |
| 1897 | 295 |
| 1896 | 327 |
| 1895 | 300 |
| 1894 | 278 |
| 1893 | 246 |
| 1892 | 269 |
| 1891 | 186 |
| 1890 | 182 |
| 1889 | 198 |
| 1888 | 146 |
| 1887 | 96 |
| 1886 | 115 |
| 1885 | 94 |
| 1884 | 107 |
| 1883 | 67 |
| 1882 | 73 |
| 1881 | 65 |
| 1880 | 62 |