Fun Facts About the Name Wadell
- 316 babies named Wadell: U.S. records list 316 babies given the name Wadell from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Wadell Mean?
Wadell is a variant spelling of the Scottish surname Waddell, which comes from the place name Wedale, the old name of Stow in the Scottish Borders. The place name is usually explained as Old English wēoh, 'idol' or 'heathen temple', plus dæl, 'valley'. Its literal sense is 'valley of the idol' or 'temple valley'. As a surname, Waddell first meant a person from Wedale. The spelling Wadell, with one d, is a later variant of Waddell.
Wadell Name History & Origins
The place name Wedale is recorded in medieval Scotland as the earlier name of Stow, in the Scottish Borders. From it came the surname de Wedale, meaning 'of Wedale', used by people who lived at or held land in the place. Scottish surnames of this kind often used the Norman French de. Over time the name was shortened and anglicized into forms such as Waddell, Waddel, and Wadell. The surname became established in Scotland, especially in the Borders and the Lothians, and it is also found in Ulster, where Scottish settlement carried many Border surnames. As a given name, Wadell is a transferred use of the surname. The one-d spelling is a variant of the more common Waddell.
How Popular is the Name Wadell?
Wadell has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1932. Its best rank was #2,093 in 1932.
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.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | #10,271 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #7,304 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1979 | #7,044 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1977 | #6,827 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1971 | #5,633 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1970 | #5,413 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1969 | #4,393 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1966 | #3,930 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1965 | #4,413 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1963 | #4,598 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1962 | #2,843 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1961 | #4,638 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1960 | #3,070 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1958 | #3,263 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1957 | #2,814 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1956 | #2,623 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1955 | #2,957 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1954 | #2,733 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1953 | #3,782 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1952 | #2,246 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1951 | #3,352 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1950 | #3,307 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1949 | #4,183 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1947 | #3,363 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1946 | #3,510 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1944 | #3,097 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1942 | #2,514 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1941 | #3,493 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1940 | #3,919 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1939 | #2,601 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1938 | #2,643 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1937 | #3,163 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1933 | #2,730 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1932 | #2,093 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1929 | #4,515 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1928 | #4,130 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1926 | #3,690 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1925 | #4,173 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1924 | #3,245 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1921 | #4,303 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1920 | #4,264 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1919 | #2,867 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1918 | #4,783 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1915 | #4,369 | 5 | 0.0006% |
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.
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with W
How the Name Wadell Shapes Your Personality and Life?
To express itself, you must follow the divine law of love. You have great persistence and hate to give up. You are a good mixer, charming, magnetic and intuitive. The spirituality is the key to success. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Wadell's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Wadell's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.