Howell

Meaning of Howell

Howell is a masculine given name of Welsh origin, derived from the Old Welsh personal name Hywel—itself from the adjective hōw(e)l, meaning “eminent” or “conspicuous”—and historically associated with the 10th-century ruler Hywel Dda (“Hywel the Good”), whose codification of Celtic law conferred enduring prestige upon the name. Pronounced HOH-ul (/ˈhoʊəl/) in English, Howell subsequently transitioned from a hereditary surname to a forename within Anglo-American settings, where it conveys an aura of principled authority and cultural lineage. In the United States, its popularity has followed an analytical trajectory: it ranked within the top 200 in the early 1900s, declined to positions predominantly between 600 and 800 throughout the mid-20th century, and in recent years—recording 9 to 14 births annually since 2020—occupies a steadier niche around rank 900. Such quantitative trends, combined with Howell’s concise phonetic structure and historical gravitas, underscore its appeal to parents seeking a name that is both distinctive and firmly rooted in tradition.