Noel

Noel - A very unique male name

Noel appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #444. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Noel and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Noel? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Noel. The baby boy name Noel was given to 595 baby boys in 2025, ranking #481 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 2,464 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Noel peaked in popularity 88 years ago in 1938 on position 268.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Noel, 1-5?

Noel is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Noel is currently topping the baby name charts in California at position #293 - and is the least popular in Ohio at position #1,215.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Noel is where you live.

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Noel origin and meaning

French

'Christmas' — French noël, from Latin natalis, birthday (of Christ)

Noel was traditionally given to boys born at Christmas, from the French word for the festival. In the US it has run steadily since 1910, peaking in 2014, with Noel Gallagher and Noel Coward as its best-known British bearers.

Attested etymology

Noel is a 4 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Noel, pop culture references for the name Noel and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Noel

We've found the following names that sound similar to Noel, sorted by popularity.

Neil / Neal / Neel / Nile / Nael / Niall / Newell / Nyle / Nihal / Nayel /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Noel

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Noel a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Noel?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

no-EL · /noʊˈɛl/
Men named Noel are split between one-syllable NOHL and two-syllable no-EL; both are long established, and Coward's was the former, Gallagher's the latter.

Around the world

• Noël (French) — The original French form and word for Christmas.
• Noel (Spanish) — Used as-is in Spanish.

Spellings and nicknames

• Noël — The French accented spelling, not recorded as a separate US spelling.
• Nowell — Old English carol spelling used as a name.

Famous bearers

• Noel Gallagher — Songwriter and guitarist of Oasis (b. 1967) Contemporary
• Noel Coward — Playwright and composer, styled Noël Coward with the French diaeresis (1899–1973) Historical
• Noel Fisher — Actor known for Shameless (b. 1984) Contemporary

Style

ClassicInternational

Why parents choose it

For a boy, Noel has a suave, slightly British vintage feel — festive without being a novelty Christmas name unless he is a December baby. Parents like its softness in a boys' name.

Worth knowing

• In the US, Noel for girls and the singer-actress pronunciation no-EL mean a boy Noel will often be mispronounced or assumed female.
• People will sing 'The First Noel' at him — count on it.