Donnell
Gender: Boy
Meaning: World ruler, brown chief
Origin: Irish/Celtic
Popularity: Ranked #4067 in 2025 with 26 babies born.
History: Donnell is a name with Irish/Celtic roots, related to the element 'don' meaning world ruler, brown chief.
Similar names: donell, dionel, doniel, donatella, dontrell, daneli, danella, danelli
Name length: 7 letters
How common is Donnell? About 1 in 128,019 babies born in 2025 were named Donnell, or roughly 0.1 per day in the United States.
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Frequently asked about Donnell
What does the name Donnell mean?
Donnell means “World ruler, brown chief” from Irish/Celtic roots.
What is the origin of the name Donnell?
Donnell has Irish/Celtic origin. The traditional meaning is “World ruler, brown chief”.
How popular is Donnell?
Donnell ranked #4050 in 2025 — given to 26 babies that year.
When was Donnell most popular?
Donnell peaked in 1982 with 290 babies registered that year.
Is Donnell a boy or girl name?
Donnell is predominantly a boys' name — over 90% of Donnells in registered births are male.
Is the name Donnell rising or falling in popularity?
Donnell has fallen 1360 spots in the rankings over the last 5 years — from #2690 in 2020 to #4050 in 2025.
How long has Donnell been recorded?
Donnell appears in birth records across 114 years — from 1912 through 2025.