Chanel
Girl name · #1311 in 2025 · Very rare
Chanel ranks #1311 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 170 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #684, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 10,588 girls born in 2025 was named Chanel.
Babies named Chanel per year. Source: SSA.
The 70-year story
Chanel first appears in the Social Security records in 1955, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1991, when 676 girls were named Chanel — good for #380 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Chanel against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Chanel in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Chanel is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Chanel will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Chanel is most common
Geography matters for names, and Chanel is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Chanel is most common in NC (0.2 per 1,000), FL (0.2 per 1,000), CA (0.1 per 1,000), NY (0.1 per 1,000), TX (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Chanel is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Chanel
Statistically, parents drawn to Chanel tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Noel, Cecily, Carina, Alyson, and Celina.
NoelCecilyCarinaAlysonCelinaCoralKaceyCarly
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Chanel | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 170 | #1309 |
| 2024 | 192 | #1223 |
| 2023 | 206 | #1168 |
| 2022 | 289 | #937 |
| 2021 | 333 | #829 |
| 2020 | 391 | #715 |
| 2019 | 355 | #781 |
| 2018 | 354 | #770 |
| 2017 | 391 | #728 |
| 2016 | 450 | #651 |
| 2015 | 417 | #684 |
| 2014 | 453 | #630 |
| 2013 | 382 | #722 |
| 2012 | 373 | #746 |
| 2011 | 320 | #827 |
| 2010 | 333 | #813 |
| 2009 | 354 | #799 |
| 2008 | 380 | #772 |
| 2007 | 318 | #880 |
| 2006 | 287 | #921 |
| 2005 | 272 | #914 |
| 2004 | 263 | #920 |
| 2003 | 229 | #1008 |
| 2002 | 209 | #1034 |
| 2001 | 238 | #933 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Chanel a popular girl name?
Chanel ranked #1311 among girls in 2025 with 170 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #684.
When was the name Chanel most popular?
Chanel peaked in 1991, when 676 American girls received the name (ranked #380 that year). Since 1991 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Chanel?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 10,588 newborn American girls was named Chanel. 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.