Russell is a given name that originated from the surname Russell, which in turn derives from the French name russel (Old Norse rossel) "red-haired, from rus (Old Norse ros) "red hair color" and the suffix -el.
The name came into greater use in England as a first name after the execution of William Russell, Lord Russell for treason in 1683; supporters who believed his trial was unjust named their sons in his honour. Some American patriots considered Lord Russell a victim of a tyrannical British monarchy and a "martyr for liberty" and also named sons after him. Russell was the 197th most popular name for newborn boys in the United States in 1880 and reached the height of its popularity in 1914 when it was the 49th most popular name for American boys. It has remained in regular use in the Anglosphere throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Russell might be shortened to Russ or Rusty, which is a modern English hypocorism for a boy with red hair as well as a nickname for Russell.
Notable people with the name include:
People Russell A. Alger (1836–1907), American politician and businessman Russell A. Berg (1917–2002), American Air Force brigadier general Russell A. Gausman (1892–1963), American set decorator Russell A. Livigni (born 1934), American rubber industry scientist and executive Russell A. Rourke (1931–2003), American lawyer and public official Russell A. Sanborn, American Marine major general Russell A. Steindam (1946–1970), American Army officer Russell Aaron Boyd, real name of Dutch Boyd (born 1980), American professional poker player Russell Abrams, American hedge fund manager and entrepreneur Russell Adams, several people Russell Aitken (born 1985), Australian former professional rugby league footballer Russell Aitken (RAF officer) (1913–1989), New Zealand Royal Air Force officer during World War II Russell Alan Hulse (born 1950), American physicist Russell Aldridge (1831–1895), English cricketer Russell Alexander (1877–1915), American entertainer and composer Russell Allen (disambiguation), several people Russell Allport (?–1914), Australian electrical engineer Russell Alton McNutt (1914–2008), American engineer Russell Anderson (disambiguation), several people Russell Arch, American director, writer, and animator Russell Arlett, real name of Buzz Arlett (1899–1964), American MLB player Russell Arms (1920–2012), American actor and singer Russell Armstrong (?–2011), American first husband of Taylor Armstrong Russell Arthur Missin (1922–2002), English cathedral organist Russell Artzt (born 1947), American businessman and software developer Russell Ash (1946–2010), British author Russell Atkins (1926–2024), American poet, playwright, and composer Russell Aukerman (1873–1960), American professional football player-coach Russell Awkard (1917–2002), American Negro league player Russell Ayto (born 1960), English author and illustrator of children's books Russell B. Farr, Australian editor and writer of speculative fiction Russell B. Livermore (1894–1958), American lawyer, politician, and veteran of both World Wars Russell B. Long (1918–2003), American politician Russell B. Shepherd (1829–1901), American businessman and politician Russell Baker (1925–2019), American journalist, narrator, and writer Russell Balda, American ornithologist Russell Balding (born 1952), Australian accountant and company director Russell Ball (1891–1942), American photographer Russell Banks (1940–2023), American writer Russell Bannock (1919–2020), Canadian Air Force pilot during World War II Russell Barber (1911–1996), American curler Russell Barkley (born 1949), American clinical neuropsychologist and professor of psychiatry Russell Barlow (born 1962), Australian former professional tennis player Russell Barnes (born 1968), British television producer and director Russell Barr (born 1953), Scottish Presbyterian minister Russell Barr Williamson (1893–1964), American architect Russell Barry (1890–1976), British Anglican bishop, author, and World War I personnel Russell Bartlett, British businessman and property investor Russell Barton (1830–1916), British-born Australian politician Russell Basser (born 1960), Australian former Olympic water polo player Russell Bassett (1845–1918), American stage- and film actor Russell Batiste Jr. (1965–2023), American drummer Russell Bawden (born 1973), Australian former professional rugby league footballer Russell Baze (born 1958), Canadian-American horse racing jockey Russell Beardsmore (born 1968), English former footballer Russell Beck (1941–2018), New Zealand archaeologist, museum curator, and artist Russell Bedsole (born 1975), American politician and law enforcement officer Russell Begaye, American Navajo politician Russell Beichly (1902–1996), American college basketball coach Russell Beiersdorf (born 1965), American professional golfer Russell Bencraft (1858–1943), English cricketer, sports administrator, medical doctor, businessman, and philanthropist Russell Bennett (rugby union) (born 1971), South African former rugby union player Russell Bentley (1960–2024), American Army soldier, blogger, communist, cannabis activist, politician, and murder victim Russell Bentley (politician) (born 1946), American politician Russell Berman (born 1950), American academic and professor of German studies and comparative literature Russell Bishop, several people Russell Black, American politician Russell Blackburne (1886–1968), American MLB player, manager, and coach Russell Blackford (born 1954), Australian writer, philosopher, and literary critic Russell Blackwell, American anarchist, activist, and cartographer Russell Blair (1907–1994), American politician Russell Blake, several people Russell Blattner (1908–2002), American pediatrician Russell Blaylock (born 1945), American writer and neurosurgeon Russell Blew (born 1941), Australian former VFL player Russell Blunt (1908–2004), American high school- and collegiate track- and basketball coach Russell Boaden (born 1969), Australian Paralympic sailor Russell Boardman (1898–1933), American aviation pioneer Russell Boast (born 1972), South African-born American professor, and casting director and producer of film and television Russell Bodine (born 1992), American former NFL player Russell Bohling (born 1991), English man who disappeared in 2010 Russell Boulter (born 1963), English actor, documentary narrator, and communications coach Russell Bowers (born 1952), American politician Russell Bowie (1880–1959), Canadian ice hockey player Russell Bowles (1907–1991), American jazz trombonist Russell Boyd (born 1944), Australian cinematographer Russell Braddon (1921–1995), Australian writer of novels, biographies, and TV scripts Russell Bradley (born 1966), English former footballer Russell Brain, 1st Baron Brain (1895–1966), British neurologist Russell Brand (born 1975), English comedian, actor, podcaster, television presenter, and media personality Russell Branyan (born 1975), American former MLB player Russell Braun (born 1965), Canadian singer and conductor Russell Breslow, American actor Russell Brice (born 1952), New Zealand mountaineer Russell Broadbent (born 1950), Australian politician Russell Brockbank (1913–1979), Canadian-born British cartoonist Russell Brock, Baron Brock (1903–1980), English chest- and heart surgeon Russell Brock (volleyball), American college volleyball coach Russell Brockfeld (1926-2014), American politician from Missouri Russell Bromage (born 1959), English former footballer Russell Brookes (1945–2019), English rally driver Russell Brothers (born 1937), American businessman Russell Brower, American music composer Russell Brown, several people Russell Bruce (1918–2009), Scottish international rugby union player, and British Army officer during World War II Russell Bryan (born 1981), English former cricketer and current police officer Russell Buchanan (1900–2006), American Navy soldier during World War I and World War II Russell Budd, American trial lawyer Russell Bufalino (1903–1994), Italian-American mobster Russell Bulgin (1958–2002), British automotive journalist Russell Bussian (born 1973), Australian-born French former professional rugby league footballer Russell Butler (born 1968), Australian former diver Russell Byrd (born 1992), American professional basketball player Russell C. Eberhart, American electrical engineer and professor of electrical and computer engineering Russell C. Elliott (1842–1898), American Civil War Union soldier Russell C. Falconer (1851–1936), American politician Russell C. Harrington (1890–1971), American accountant Russell C. Jordan Jr. (1926–2012), American politician Russell C. Newhouse (1906–1998), American aviator and engineer Russell C. Ostrander (1851–1919), American jurist Russell Cake (born 1973), English former cricketer Russell Calvert (1909–2011), New Zealand politician and mayor Russell Camilleri (1936–2023), American wrestler Russell Campbell (born 1957), Australian former VFL player Russell Canouse (born 1995), American MLS player Russell Carollo (1955–2018), American journalist and special projects reporter Russell Carpenter (born 1950), American cinematographer and photographer Russell Carr, British car designer Russell Carson (born 1943), American businessman; co-founder of private equity firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe Russell Carter, several people Russell Carver (born 1934), English former rower Russell Catley (1973–2020), English cricketer Russell Causley, British murderer Russell Cecchini, Canadian Paralympic swimmer Russell Charles McDonough (1924–2018), American Supreme Court justice Russell Chatham (1939–2019), American contemporary landscape artist and author Russell Cheney (1881–1945), American impressionist-, post-impressionist-, and New England regionalist painter Russell Cheung (born 1977), Hong Kong actor Russell Christopher (1930–2014), American operatic singer Russell Church (1930–2021), American psychologist Russell Churney (1964–2007), English composer, pianist, arranger, and musical director; member of comedy/cabaret group Fascinating Aïda Russell Cicerone (born 1994), American USLC player Russell Ciochon (born 1948), American paleoanthropologist Russell Clark, several people Russell Clarke (1876–1954), Australian politician Russell Claydon (born 1965), English professional golfer Russell Cline (born c. 1965), American currency trader Russell Cobb (born 1961), English former cricketer Russell Coffey (1898–2007), American World War I Army veteran Russell Coker, Australian computer programmer Russell Colcott (born 1949), Australian former VFL player Russell Coleman (born 1976), American attorney and politician Russell Coleman, Australian past member of rock band AC/DC Russell Colley (1897–1996), American mechanical engineer Russell Collins (1897–1965), American actor Russell Conwell (1843–1925), American Baptist minister, orator, philanthropist, author, lawyer, and writer; founder of Temple University Russell Cook, several people Russell Coope (1930–2011), British Quaternary paleoentomologist, neontologist, paleoclimatologist, and professor Russell Cooper (disambiguation), several people Russell Copeland (born 1971), American former NFL- and CFL player Russell Copeman (born 1960), Canadian politician Russell Cornell Leffingwell (1878–1960), American banker Russell Cotton (1960–2019), English footballer Russell Coughlin (1960–2016), Welsh professional footballer Russell Courtier, American gang member and murderer Russell Coutts (born 1962), New Zealand sailor Russell Cowles (1887–1979), American artist Russell Cowley (born 1983), Canadian-born English NHL-, NIHL-, and EIHL player Russell Cox, several people Russell Cromarty (born 1947), Australian former VFL player Russell Cropanzano, American management scholar, scientist, and professor of organizational behavior Russell Cross (born 1961), American former NBA- and CBA player Russell Crossley (1927–2018), English footballer Russell Crotty (born 1956), American artist