Given name & surname · also Late Latin
Fidel
“faithful”·“a faithful man”
Fidel is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “faithful” (Late Latin) and “a faithful man” (Latin). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “faithful” (Late Latin) and “a faithful man” (Latin). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Late Latin.
How it developed
In Spanish usage, Fidel is a short form of Fidelis. In Spanish usage, Fidel is a short form of FIDELIUS.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1892. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Fidel through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 11,321
- 11,321 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2001
- 195 babies
- 2025
- 84
- #1,875 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −6%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 84 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,875 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 6.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 195 in 2001. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (24). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 21,420 as a first name in 2020; 699 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Fidel’s family of names
In Spanish usage, Fidel is a short form of Fidelis. Fidel has a feminine form in Fidelia. Fidel has a related form in Fidele.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Fidel has relatives in 8 languages. Lines run from its Latin roots to each of them.
9 related names in 8 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 16
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 7
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Fidel
- Fidel CastroCuban politician, author and revolutionary (1926–2016)
- Fidel V. RamosPresident of the Philippines from 1992 to 19981928–2022
- Fidel EscobarPanamanian association football playerborn 1995
- Fidel MartínezEcuadorian footballerborn 1990
- Fidel Sánchez HernándezPresident of El Salvador (1917-2003)
- Fidel UriarteSpanish football player and manager (1945-2016)
- Fidel PagésSpanish author, the pioneer of lumbar epidural anaesthesia (1886–1923)
- Fidel Castro Díaz-Balartfirst son of the Cuban leader Fidel Castro1949–2018
- Fidel LaBarbaAmerican boxer (1905–1981)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
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