Originating from England, the first name Russell is of Norman origin and means 'little red one.' It was initially used as a nickname for someone with red hair or a ruddy complexion. The name Russell became popular during the Middle Ages and has since been widely adopted across English-speaking countries.
"Russell saw its highest birth years between 1957 and 1971, with peaks of 31 (1961) and 26 births per year for five consecutive years (1968-1972). However, since 1985, the name's popularity has significantly declined, dropping to single-digit figures in many years, with a low of just 7 births in 1985."