Yarnell, derived from Welsh origins, is an uncommon yet distinctive given name for boys. It evolved as a variant of the Welsh surname 'Iorwyl', which was derived from the personal name 'Ioerthu'. The name Ioerthu itself is thought to be composed of the elements 'ioer' meaning 'to hear or obey' and 'thu' meaning 'he or him'. Therefore, Yarnell can be interpreted as signifying a sense of obedience or adherence to principles. This unique name has gained some popularity in the United States over time but remains relatively uncommon elsewhere.
The name Yarnell had a notable decline in popularity from 1977 to 1980, with the number of annual births decreasing from 41 to just 6 over those four years. However, it experienced a slight increase in 1982 with 10 births recorded that year. Overall, there were a total of 88 babies named Yarnell during this period.