Clell

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Clell

Pronounced KLEL /ˈklɛl/Medium

Meaning: Clell is a terse Appalachian-flavored short form, most plausibly clipped from the Scots-Irish surname McClellan (from Gaelic Mac Gille Fhaolain, 'son of the servant of Saint Faolan'); its own etymology beyond that is uncertain.Low

In 30 seconds: Clell is a rare one-syllable frontier-era boy's name, most likely a clip of the surname McClellan (said 'KLEL').

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Origin LowEnglish

MeaningClell is a terse Appalachian-flavored short form, most plausibly clipped from the Scots-Irish surname McClellan (from Gaelic Mac Gille Fhaolain, 'son of the servant of Saint Faolan'); its own etymology beyond that is uncertain.

U.S. rank (1988)#6561 ↘ Falling

1988 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1924

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,221

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

Clell is a compact American name with roots that are hard to pin down; the best guess ties it to the surname McClellan, itself from a Gaelic name meaning 'son of the servant of Saint Faolan'. It belongs to the plain, clipped style of rural naming a century ago.

It never spread widely, holding a tiny peak in the mid nineteen-twenties before fading almost entirely; it reads today as a genuine antique of Appalachian and border-state records rather than a revived name.

Did you know? Clell has always been a scarce, Appalachian-flavored name, cresting around 1924 at only a few dozen boys a year before fading from the U.S. charts.

Overall data confidence 40%

References — Clell — likely clip of surname McClellan; origin uncertain

Variations

ClelClellan

Nicknames

Clel

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Clell…

Dell— a like short vintage boy's name of the same era

Orval— shares the rural early-1900s American texture

Ferrell— a surname-derived boy's name with the same border-state feel

Arvel— another rare Appalachian-flavored vintage name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Clell mean?

Clell is an American short form, most likely clipped from the surname McClellan; its deeper origin is uncertain.

How do you pronounce Clell?

It's said KLEL /ˈklɛl/ — one syllable.

Is Clell a boy or girl name?

Clell is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Clell?

Clell has always been rare in the U.S. and is a genuine early-twentieth-century antique.