UK boy's name
Karell
A masculine name of Germanic origin meaning "freeman" or "army man".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2011. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Karell is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Karell popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2011 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4647, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 3 births.
This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2007 to 2011. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Karell. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2012 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Karell ranked #4647 for boys in England and Wales in 2011, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2007, when 3 boys were registered as Karell.
- • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Karell as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4647
2011
Births in 2011
3
Latest year
Peak year
2007
3 births
Estimated living
6
2026
Meaning
What does Karell mean?
The name Karell is derived from the Germanic root "Carl" or "Karl," which means "free man" or "warrior." Its origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, and it was particularly popular among the Frankish and Germanic tribes of central and western Europe.
This name gained widespread recognition and popularity after the reign of Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, who was the King of the Franks and the first Holy Roman Emperor from 768 to 814 AD. His name, derived from the Germanic "Karlus," contributed to the widespread use of similar names across Europe.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Karell can be found in the Nibelungenlied, a famous Germanic epic poem from around 1200 AD, where a character named Karell is mentioned. This literary reference suggests that the name was in use during the High Middle Ages.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Karell, including Karell of Anjou (1227-1285), a French prince and Count of Anjou and Provence. Another prominent figure was Karell IX of Sweden (1550-1611), who ruled as King of Sweden from 1604 until his death.
In the realm of art and literature, Karell Fabritius (1622-1654) was a renowned Dutch painter and one of Rembrandt's most gifted pupils. His masterpiece, "The Goldfinch," is considered a masterpiece of Dutch Golden Age painting.
During the 19th century, Karell Pavlovich Bryullov (1799-1852) was a prominent Russian painter known for his historical and portrait works, such as "The Last Day of Pompeii" and "The Rider."
Lastly, Karell Capek (1890-1938) was a Czech writer and playwright famous for his science fiction novels, including "R.U.R.," which introduced the word "robot" to the English language.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Karell over time
The chart below shows babies named Karell registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2007 to 2011. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Karell, the clearest high point is 2007. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2011, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Karell by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Karell was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4647 | 3 | 1 |
| 2000s | #4333 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Karell
- Kieran 30,429
- Kyle 28,463
- Kai 24,432
- Kian 17,666
- Kayden 8,305
- Kevin 7,927
- Kane 7,149
- Kaiden 5,762
- Kieron 4,547
- Kacper 4,366
- Kye 4,012
- Kit 3,529
FAQ
Karell: questions and answers
How popular is the name Karell in the UK right now?
In 2011, Karell was ranked #4647 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Karell most popular?
The peak year on record was 2007, with 3 babies registered as Karell in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Karell?
A masculine name of Germanic origin meaning "freeman" or "army man".
How many people are called Karell in the UK?
A total of 6 babies have been registered as Karell across the 2 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.