Given name · also Irish, Celtic
Cathal
“the ruler of the battle”
Cathal is used as a given name. One interpretation is “the ruler of the battle.”
Original IrishÓ Cathaláin
Meaning & origin
What it means
One interpretation is “the ruler of the battle.”
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Celtic and Irish naming traditions.
How it developed
From Irish Cathal; its root is Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁-.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
The name’s historical associations include a 7th-century saint.
Cathal through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 40
- 40 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2000
- 10 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 5 in 2015. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 10 in 2000. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 236 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Cathal’s family of names
In English usage, Cathal has a later derivative in CAHALANE. In Irish usage, Cathal has a conventional equivalent in the Spanish form Gonzalo. Cathal has a related form in Cahal.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Cathal has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its Proto-Celtic roots to each of them.
4 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 9
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Cathylvariant
- Cathilvariant
- Cathulvariant
- Catholvariant
- Cathelvariant
- Kathelvariant
- Catheldvariant
- Cahalvariant
Show 1 moreShow fewer
Across languages 7
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Cathal
- Cathal BrughaIrish revolutionary and politician (1874-1922)
- Cathal Ó SearcaighIrish poetborn 1956
- Cathal DunneIrish singerborn 1953
- Chas SmashEnglish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalistborn 1959
- Cal DoddIrish voice actorborn 1956
- Cathal Crobhdearg Ua ConchobairKing of Connacht1152–1224
- Cathal mac Finguine8th-century Irish monarch
- Cathal PendredIrish-American actor and former mixed martial arts (MMA) fighterborn 1987
- Cathal Cú-cen-máthairIrish king602–665
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Cathal, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kaelan
“a mighty warrior”
85% boys · 15% girls
Caelan
“a slender warrior; one who is slender and fair”
89% boys · 11% girls
Cowan
“from the hollow near the hill; one of twins”
>99% boys
Sheehan
“little peaceful one; peacemaker” · “a small and peaceful man”
93% boys · 7% girls
Conlan
“a hero”
>99% boys
Cavan
“a handsome man”
>99% boys
Maccoy
“the son of Hugh”
>99% boys
Mackay
“the son of fire”
>99% boys