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Home › Baby Names Directory › Tell

Tell

♂ Boy

Pronounced TEL /ˈtɛl/High

Meaning: A surname of uncertain root, borne by the legendary Swiss archer William Tell; also read as the English word tell; we note the legendLow

In 30 seconds: A surname; the legend of William Tell: Tell. Crisp, modern, and warm. We note the legend.
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Origin LowGermanic, English
MeaningA surname of uncertain root, borne by the legendary Swiss archer William Tell; also read as the English word tell; we note the legend
U.S. rank (2025)#8182 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births10 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1988
Total births (all-time)≈ 206

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 198819822025

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

Tell is a surname of uncertain root, borne by the legendary Swiss archer William Tell; also read as the English word 'tell' (we note the legend). A crisp, modern name (said 'TEL').

In the U.S. it appears as a surname-turned-given-name. Rare, William-Tell at the root, and crisp.

Did you know? Tell is a surname borne by the legendary Swiss archer William Tell (also read as the English word 'tell') — a crisp, storied name (we note the legend; said 'TEL').
Overall data confidence 24%
References — Tell — surname; legend; routes uncertain

Variations

TelTello

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Tell…

Tel— a kin spelling
Dell— a sound-neighbor -ell boys' name
Nell— a companion -ell name
Will— a fellow English choice
Quill— shares Tell's English roots

Explore names like Tell

By themeuncertainenglishsurname-namegermanicfolklore

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Tell mean?

Tell is a surname of uncertain root, borne by the legendary Swiss archer William Tell; also the English word. We note the legend.

How do you pronounce Tell?

It's said TEL /ˈtɛl/ — one syllable.

Is Tell a boy or girl name?

Tell is a boy's name.

How popular is Tell?

Tell is a very rare name in the U.S.

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