Given name & surname
Noel
“born at Christmastime”
Noel is used as a given name and a surname. One French interpretation is “born at Christmastime.”
Original FrenchNoël
Meaning & origin
What it means
One French interpretation is “born at Christmastime.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is French.
How it developed
In English usage, Noel developed from NATALIS. In Finnish usage, Noel developed from Noël.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Noel through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 67,380
- 52,096 boys · 15,284 girls
- Most popular year
- 2014
- 1,107 babies
- 2025
- 792
- #478 for boys · #1,395 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −10%
- Steady
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 81% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 635 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 478 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 9.8% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 901 in 2014. It also appeared in 157 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (126). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 61,698 as a first name in 2020; 31,994 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.
Noel’s family of names
In English usage, Noel shares an earlier linguistic root with Nada. Noel has a related form in Noe. In English usage, Noel has a related form in Noelle.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Noel has relatives in 9 languages. Lines run from its French roots to each of them.
Frenchwhere Noel comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 21
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 15
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Noel
- Noel GallagherBritish singer and guitaristborn 1967
- Joseph NeedhamBritish biochemist, historian and sinologist (1900–1995)
- Noel ValladaresHonduran footballerborn 1977
- Noel ReddingEnglish rock and roll guitarist (1945–2003)
- Noel FisherCanadian actorborn 1984
- Noel ClarkeBritish actor and filmmakerborn 1975
- Noel NeillAmerican actress (1920-2016)
- Paul StookeyAmerican singer-songwriterborn 1937
- Noel FieldingBritish comedian and actorborn 1973
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
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If you love Noel, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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