Buel

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Buel

Pronounced BYOO-el /ˈbjuː.əl/Medium

Meaning: Buel is a spelling of the surname Buell, carried into first-name use in early-twentieth-century America. The surname's older origin is uncertain, variously linked to a medieval given name or a place; it may also echo the biblical Bethuel. Its sense is that of a heritage family name.Low

In 30 seconds: Buel is a vintage American name from the surname Buell. Its older origin is uncertain. It crested around 1922, a plain early-1900s boys' name.

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Origin LowEnglish

MeaningBuel is a spelling of the surname Buell, carried into first-name use in early-twentieth-century America. The surname's older origin is uncertain, variously linked to a medieval given name or a place; it may also echo the biblical Bethuel. Its sense is that of a heritage family name.

U.S. rank (1972)#5076 ↘ Falling

1972 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1922

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,135

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Buel is a spelling of the surname Buell, taken up as a boys' given name in the American manner in the early twentieth century. The surname's earlier history is uncertain, tied variously to a medieval personal name or an English place, and it may echo the biblical Bethuel, 'man of God.' Because the trail is unclear, its origin is best described as an old family name of uncertain deeper meaning.

The name crested around 1922 and stayed a modest choice, borne by roughly eleven hundred boys before fading by the early 1970s. A Buel named at the peak would be past a hundred today, a great-grandfather-era name. It has not revived and reads as a genuine early-twentieth-century surname-name.

Did you know? Buel comes from the surname Buell — an old American family name whose deeper origin is unclear, though some connect it to the biblical Bethuel.

Overall data confidence 47%

References — Buell — Surname Buell as given name; older origin uncertain; early-1900s peak

Variations

Buell

Nicknames

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Buel mean?

Buel comes from the surname Buell, whose deeper origin is uncertain; some link it to the biblical Bethuel, 'man of God.'

How do you pronounce Buel?

It's said BYOO-el /ˈbjuː.əl/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Buel a boy or girl name?

Buel is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Buel?

Buel was an uncommon vintage boys' name that crested in the early nineteen-twenties and has been rare since.