Axl
Boy name · #1126 in 2025 · Very rare
Axl is currently the #1126 boy name in the United States — 190 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #761, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 9,474 boys born in 2025 was named Axl.
The 37-year story
Axl first appears in the Social Security records in 1988, when 9 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2019, when 379 boys were named Axl — good for #677 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Axl per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Axl against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Axl in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Axl is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Axl will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Axl is most common
Geography matters for names, and Axl is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Axl is most common in IN (0.3 per 1,000), OH (0.2 per 1,000), TX (0.1 per 1,000), CA (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Axl is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Axl
Statistically, parents drawn to Axl tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Aksel, Adiel, Ansel, Ash, and Axle.
AkselAdielAnselAshAxleAxtonAlaricAhmir
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Axl | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 190 | #1123 |
| 2024 | 218 | #1023 |
| 2023 | 259 | #897 |
| 2022 | 276 | #873 |
| 2021 | 281 | #845 |
| 2020 | 318 | #756 |
| 2019 | 379 | #677 |
| 2018 | 322 | #740 |
| 2017 | 339 | #717 |
| 2016 | 306 | #778 |
| 2015 | 313 | #761 |
| 2014 | 270 | #835 |
| 2013 | 113 | #1459 |
| 2012 | 102 | #1551 |
| 2011 | 74 | #1886 |
| 2010 | 61 | #2169 |
| 2009 | 61 | #2183 |
| 2008 | 46 | #2684 |
| 2007 | 52 | #2442 |
| 2006 | 40 | #2832 |
| 2005 | 38 | #2803 |
| 2004 | 29 | #3285 |
| 2003 | 29 | #3186 |
| 2002 | 17 | #4502 |
| 2001 | 26 | #3321 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Axl a popular boy name?
Axl ranked #1126 among boys in 2025 with 190 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #761.
When was the name Axl most popular?
Axl peaked in 2019, when 379 American boys received the name (ranked #677 that year). Since 2019 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Axl?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 9,474 newborn American boys was named Axl. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.