Noel
From Middle English Nowel, borrowed from Old French Noel (“Christmas”), from Latin nātālis [diēs Dominī] (“birth[day of the Lord]”).
Every Noel since 1880 — 67,380 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Noel
Noel is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #478 in 2025 with 635 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 67,380 American babies have been named Noel — about 77% boys and 23% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2014, when 1,107 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Noel stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Noel year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 157 | #1,395 | 635 | #478 |
| 2024 | 150 | #1,464 | 731 | #434 |
| 2023 | 173 | #1,315 | 686 | #451 |
| 2022 | 192 | #1,254 | 743 | #425 |
| 2021 | 178 | #1,290 | 787 | #398 |
| 2020 | 142 | #1,506 | 714 | #417 |
| 2019 | 199 | #1,182 | 791 | #395 |
| 2018 | 192 | #1,221 | 789 | #405 |
| 2017 | 201 | #1,206 | 832 | #386 |
| 2016 | 204 | #1,211 | 846 | #381 |
| 2015 | 212 | #1,192 | 862 | #376 |
| 2014 | 206 | #1,191 | 901 | #356 |
| 2013 | 182 | #1,290 | 778 | #383 |
| 2012 | 145 | #1,527 | 682 | #417 |
| 2011 | 165 | #1,390 | 587 | #456 |
| 2010 | 160 | #1,434 | 545 | #478 |
| 2009 | 181 | #1,333 | 555 | #491 |
| 2008 | 178 | #1,364 | 592 | #468 |
| 2007 | 193 | #1,275 | 636 | #440 |
| 2006 | 180 | #1,304 | 607 | #446 |
| 2005 | 182 | #1,248 | 591 | #442 |
| 2004 | 168 | #1,276 | 572 | #454 |
| 2003 | 185 | #1,170 | 514 | #483 |
| 2002 | 192 | #1,101 | 548 | #449 |
| 2001 | 210 | #1,029 | 583 | #422 |
| 2000 | 205 | #1,028 | 616 | #406 |
| 1995 | 226 | #862 | 521 | #438 |
| 1990 | 255 | #792 | 588 | #394 |
| 1985 | 302 | #623 | 445 | #407 |
| 1980 | 188 | #832 | 458 | #376 |
| 1975 | 172 | #802 | 501 | #342 |
| 1970 | 200 | #738 | 674 | #299 |
| 1965 | 109 | #1,001 | 387 | #399 |
| 1960 | 78 | #1,246 | 390 | #401 |
| 1955 | 132 | #848 | 338 | #394 |
| 1950 | 84 | #999 | 305 | #384 |
| 1945 | 98 | #760 | 318 | #336 |
| 1940 | 73 | #837 | 374 | #291 |
| 1935 | 42 | #1,082 | 339 | #297 |
| 1930 | 35 | #1,284 | 214 | #393 |
| 1925 | 20 | #1,993 | 198 | #426 |
| 1920 | 18 | #2,144 | 206 | #414 |
| 1915 | 9 | #3,066 | 223 | #360 |
| 1910 | — | — | 44 | #404 |
| 1905 | — | — | 39 | #320 |
| 1900 | — | — | 18 | #596 |
| 1895 | — | — | 17 | #499 |
| 1890 | — | — | 10 | #655 |
| 1885 | — | — | 8 | #745 |
| 1880 | — | — | 10 | #626 |
Famous people named Noel
- Noel Gallagher Singer · b. 1967
- Noel Redding Musician · 1945–2003
- Noel Neill Actor · 1920–2016
- Noel Hogan Musician · b. 1971
- Noel Fisher Actor · b. 1984
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Noel mean?
From Middle English Nowel, borrowed from Old French Noel (“Christmas”), from Latin nātālis [diēs Dominī] (“birth[day of the Lord]”).
How popular is the name Noel in 2025?
Noel ranked #478 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 635 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Noel?
67,380 babies have been named Noel in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Noel most popular?
Noel peaked in 2014, when 1,107 newborns received the name.
Is Noel a boy or girl name?
Noel is used for both: about 23% of babies named Noel have been girls and 77% boys.
Is the name Noel rising or falling?
Noel has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Noel?
Well-known people named Noel include Noel Gallagher (singer), Noel Redding (musician), Noel Neill (actor).