Given name & surname
Donal
“ruler of the world; a brown-haired warrior”
Donal is a variant of Donnell. One Scottish interpretation is “ruler of the world; a brown-haired warrior.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Donal is a variant of Donnell. One Scottish interpretation is “ruler of the world; a brown-haired warrior.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Donal is a variant of Donnell. An origin associated with Donnell is Scottish.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1909. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Donal through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,712
- 3,707 boys · 5 girls
- Most popular year
- 1930
- 98 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −60%
- Cooling
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 5 in 2023. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 98 in 1930. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,507 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.
Donal’s family of names
In English usage, Donal has a diminutive in DONIE. In English usage, Donal has a conventional equivalent in the Polish form Donald. Donal has a related form in Donnell.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Donal has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its Irish 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 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Donal
- Donal LogueCanadian actorborn 1966
- Conor Cruise O'Brienauthor, diplomat, politician, historian, journalist, critic1917–2008
- Donal GibsonAmerican actorborn 1958
- Donal Bishtactorborn 1994
- Donal McKeownNorth Irish Roman Catholic bishopborn 1950
- Donald O'BrienIrish-French actor (1930-2003)
- Donal DonnellyIrish theatre and film actor (1931-2010)
- Donal RyanIrish writerborn 1976
- Donal MurrayIrish bishop (1940–2024)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Donal, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Doyle
“a dark stranger”
>99% boys
Oneal
Oneal is a surname from Irish.
>99% boys
Norval
“from the northern valley”
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Ferrell
“a brave man; a hero”
92% boys · 8% girls
Henery
Henery is a surname from Irish.
>99% boys
Oran
“surrounded by light” · “a pale-skinned man”
>99% boys
Green
“lawn”
>99% boys
Howell
“a distinguished or eminent man”
>99% boys