Joel

“Yahweh is God” — Hebrew origin

Boy's name · #219 in the US (2025) · 80s

Joel reached #65 in 1981 and has eased to #219 since. About 280,000 boys have carried it since 1880. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records. Joe is a short form of Joel.

Around the world: #22 in Finland (Finnish-sp.) (2025) · #84 in Spain (2024).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 47 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Joels

Joel Schumacher — American director, screenwriter, and producer (1939–2020)
Joel — biblical prophet associated with the Book of Joel
Joël Matip — Cameroonian-German association football player (born 1991)
Joel McHale — American actor and comedian
Joel Kinnaman — Swedish-American actor

In stories & tradition

Joel (Howard Wolowitz) — The Big Bang Theory
Joel — The Last of Us · The Last of Us Remastered
Joel Dexter — Hollyoaks

What Joels become

Among 3,228 notable people named Joel:

Political leaders appear 1.41× more often than among typical names — e.g. Joel Barlow, American poet, diplomat, politician and businessman (1754–1812).

Similar names: Yoel · Adam · Jose · Jeremy · Johnny · Jordan

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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