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Dell Name Meaning & Historical Trends

Dell

Pronunciation: DEL

Meaning Small valley Gender Unisex
BOYS RANK
#10,978
TREND
3,117
Peak Years
1953, 1957, 1960
Lowest Years
1887, 2006, 1905
Energy Archetype
Practical & Determined

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of boys named Dell in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Dell

  • More than 6 thousand babies named Dell: U.S. records list 6,552 babies given the name Dell from 1880 through 2025. Of these, 2,544 girls received the name Dell - about 1 girl for every 2 boys.

What Does the Name Dell Mean?

Dell is an English name meaning "small valley." It comes from the Old English noun dell, a dell or hollow - a small, often wooded valley - related to the older dæl, which gives English "dale." Both belong to a Germanic word family that also includes German Tal and Dutch dal, all meaning "valley." The name's meaning is the landscape word itself, not a symbolic or religious interpretation attached to it later.

Dell is chiefly an English surname used as a given name. The surname was topographic, describing someone who lived in or near a dell, and in some cases habitational, taken from a place named Dell. The given name has no separate etymology of its own; it is the surname carried over as a first name. A minority of Dell surnames may have other roots, including Americanized spellings of unrelated European family names, so not every Dell shares the "valley" origin.

Dell Name History & Origins

Old English dell and dæl named a valley or hollow, and the same Germanic root appears in German Tal and Dutch dal. Topographic surnames formed from landscape words became common in England in the later Middle Ages, and Dell belongs to that group: it identified a person who lived in or by a dell, or who came from a place of that name. The surname is recorded in England and also in Scotland and Ireland.

Dell came into use as a first name in the English-speaking world, particularly in the United States, during the 19th century, when surnames were widely adopted as given names. It has been used for both boys and girls. The computer company Dell takes its name from the surname of its founder, Michael Dell.

How Popular is the Name Dell?

Dell recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1953. Its best rank was #468 in 1880.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

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How the Name Dell Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You are strong in material matters, determined and stubborn. You have good business ability. You are a good worker, steady and practical, a builder who takes responsibility well. These qualities may bring you a position of authority and power. You are a doer, down-to-earth, serious-minded, reliable, and self-disciplined; have good power of concentration. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.

You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.

✦ Dell's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Dell's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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