Noel
Say it: NOH-el/ˈnəʊ(ə)l/
BoyMeans christmas4 letters2 syllables
#402
in Ireland (2025)
#390 with spellings combined
9
babies in 2025
#19
best rank (1966)
8,107
babies since 1964
Down 110
10-year rank change
Noel through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | #390 |
| 2024 | 9 | #379 |
| 2023 | 11 | #333 |
| 2022 | 20 | #233 |
| 2021 | 12 | #328 |
| 2020 | 13 | #315 |
| 2019 | 21 | #228 |
| 2018 | 17 | #267 |
| 2017 | 12 | #336 |
| 2016 | 17 | #272 |
| 2015 | 16 | #280 |
| 2014 | 18 | #267 |
| 2013 | 16 | #282 |
| 2012 | 16 | #290 |
| 2011 | 22 | #238 |
| 2010 | 17 | #278 |
| 2009 | 20 | #251 |
| 2008 | 23 | #225 |
| 2007 | 21 | #220 |
| 2006 | 25 | #180 |
| 2005 | 16 | #213 |
| 2004 | 22 | #171 |
| 2003 | 23 | #166 |
| 2002 | 26 | #148 |
| 2001 | 23 | #150 |
| 2000 | 26 | #145 |
| 1999 | 22 | #149 |
| 1998 | 22 | #145 |
| 1997 | 45 | #113 |
| 1996 | 56 | #101 |
| 1995 | 44 | #111 |
| 1994 | 64 | #87 |
| 1993 | 74 | #84 |
| 1992 | 70 | #87 |
| 1991 | 83 | #73 |
| 1990 | 94 | #74 |
| 1989 | 125 | #61 |
| 1988 | 99 | #68 |
| 1987 | 152 | #51 |
| 1986 | 156 | #52 |
| 1985 | 181 | #48 |
| 1984 | 173 | #51 |
| 1983 | 183 | #50 |
| 1982 | 237 | #47 |
| 1981 | 235 | #48 |
| 1980 | 282 | #42 |
| 1979 | 250 | #43 |
| 1978 | 241 | #41 |
| 1977 | 256 | #39 |
| 1976 | 317 | #29 |
| 1975 | 280 | #32 |
| 1974 | 284 | #34 |
| 1973 | 363 | #23 |
| 1972 | 297 | #27 |
| 1971 | 360 | #22 |
| 1970 | 372 | #22 |
| 1969 | 332 | #23 |
| 1968 | 366 | #23 |
| 1967 | 356 | #22 |
| 1966 | 397 | #19 |
| 1965 | 374 | #21 |
| 1964 | 394 | #20 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Noel mean?
Christmas
French, from Old French Noel (Christmas), from Latin natalis (birthday).
Say it right
NOHel
Often run together into one syllable, close to NOLE. The Irish form is Nollaig.
The story of Noel
Noel is the old French word for Christmas. It comes from the Latin for the birthday of the Lord, and since the Middle Ages it has been given to children born around Christmas. The Irish word for Christmas, Nollaig, comes from the same Latin root and is also used as a name. Noelle is the usual feminine form.
In Ireland Noel was already common when the CSO records begin. Its peak came in 1966, with 397 babies and a rank of number 19 in 1966. It stayed in the top 100 through the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.
It is much rarer now, and 9 boys were named Noel in 2025. Nearly nine in ten of all the Noels in the CSO records were born before 1990.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Noel (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Noel (given name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Noel | 9 | 8,107 |
In Northern Ireland
Not in the 2025 list. Best rank #168 (1999); 129 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.