Noel
Noel was the 478th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 635 babies. Its best year was 1938, when it ranked 267th; the most babies were born in 2014 (901). Over the last ten years it has moved down 102 places. More babies were named Noel in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning Christmas · French, Latin
Say it noh-EL /noʊˈɛl/
- Rank in 2025
- #478 boys, down 61 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 635boys
- Girls and boys
- 19% girls, 81% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2014901 babies
- Total since 1880
- 67,380babies recorded
What does the name Noel mean?
Noel comes from Old French noel, "Christmas", from Latin natalis, "of birth", in dies natalis, the day of Christ's birth. DMNES explains that it was given to children born on Christmas Day and records it in the 16th century. It is used for both boys and girls; Noelle is a feminine form.
noel (Old French, “Christmas”)natalis (Latin, “of birth”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Noelle, Natalie, Nowell.
See also: French names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Noel', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources (ed. S. L. Uckelman), Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Noel', DMNES, Durham University
- Dictionary.com Unabridged (based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary), with Collins English Dictionary, s.v. 'Noel', Dictionary.com / Random House / HarperCollins
Noel popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,395 | #478 | 157 | 635 |
| 2020 | #1,506 | #417 | 142 | 714 |
| 2010 | #1,434 | #478 | 160 | 545 |
| 2000 | #1,028 | #406 | 205 | 616 |
| 1990 | #792 | #394 | 255 | 588 |
| 1980 | #832 | #376 | 188 | 458 |
| 1970 | #738 | #299 | 200 | 674 |
| 1960 | #1,246 | #401 | 78 | 390 |
| 1950 | #999 | #384 | 84 | 305 |
| 1940 | #837 | #291 | 73 | 374 |
| 1930 | #1,284 | #393 | 35 | 214 |
| 1920 | #2,144 | #414 | 18 | 206 |
| 1910 | — | #404 | — | 44 |
| 1900 | — | #596 | — | 18 |
| 1890 | — | #655 | — | 10 |
| 1880 | — | #626 | — | 10 |
How popular is Noel, counting every spelling?
Noel is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #480 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #478 for Noel on its own. Together these spellings went to 635 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noel | 635 | #478 | 3,582 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Noel?
635 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Noel (0.18 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Noel born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 13 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Noel.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Noel?
About 39,900 people born in the US named Noel are alive today, with a median age of 31; half are between 13 and 53. That makes Noel mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Noel by state
How common Noel was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Nevada (2.1×), California (2.0×), Texas (1.9×), Arizona (1.8×), Illinois (1.6×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Missouri, Kentucky, Iowa.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Noel: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Noel, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Noel · Sibling names for Noel
Questions about the name Noel
What does Noel mean?
Noel means “Christmas” (French, Latin origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Noel?
Noel was the 478th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 635 babies. Its best year was 1938, when it ranked 267th; the most babies were born in 2014 (901). Over the last ten years it has moved down 102 places. More babies were named Noel in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Noel a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 19% girls, 81% boys given the name Noel in the US.
Where is Noel most popular?
In 2021–2025, Noel was most common in Nevada (0.88 per 1,000 boys), followed by California and Texas.