Donal

maleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Donal: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Donal: Recorded every year since 1964, its highest recorded position is #38, and it stood at #509 in 2025.

3registrars recorded it
104times a registrar ranked it
62years from first to last
#38highest recorded position
22groupings it qualifies for

What stands out in Donal's record

Ranked every year since 1964, without a single year missing. Names by continuity of record
Held a top-100 place for 36 years running. Names by top-100 run

Region

Falling

among boys in England and Wales · 1996–2024

View as table

England and Wales · Boys rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#2357
1997	#2337
1998	#2419
1999	#1850
2000	#2501
2001	#1746
2002	#2254
2003	#1962
2007	#3095
2010	#4678
2012	#3416
2014	#2964
2015	#4747
2020	#4608
2024	#5119

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

FallingEngland and Wales · Boys

Recorded in official data among boys in Republic of Ireland in every year from 1964 to 2025.

In 2024: #216 among boys in Northern Ireland, #374 among boys in Republic of Ireland, #5119 among boys in England and Wales.

Official data from 3 national registrars across 3 regions, 1964–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1964
First recorded at #45 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #38 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #509 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys

Donal appears in 3 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Republic of Ireland · Boys, which has ranked it in 62 years beginning in 1964, and has registered 5,491 births with the name.

Donal across 3 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Donal's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Republic of Ireland · Boys	#45 (1964)	#38 (1965)	#509 (2025)	62 of 62	5,491 (1964–2025)	214 (1974)
England and Wales · Boys	#2357 (1996)	#1746 (2001)	#5119 (2024)	15 of 29	69 (1996–2024)	7 (2001)
Northern Ireland · Boys	#160 (1997)	#117 (1998)	#216 (2024)	27 of 28	267 (1997–2024)	18 (1998)

Donal by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Donal in Republic of Ireland · Boys, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1960s	961	6 of 10	160
1970sbusiest	1,713	10 of 10	171
1980s	1,389	10 of 10	139
1990s	746	10 of 10	75
2000s	365	10 of 10	37
2010s	260	10 of 10	26
2020s	57	6 of 10	10

Across Republic of Ireland · Boys, the 1970s were its busiest decade, averaging 171 births a year.

Its sharpest single-year move came between 1974 and 1975, when recorded births fell by 50, from 214 to 164.

See the names Republic of Irelandhas recorded the most births with →

Donal appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 3 regions, from 1964 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #38 in Republic of Ireland in 1965.

Donal's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2024	England and Wales	male	#5119	3	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	male	#4608	3	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	male	#4747	3	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	male	#2964	6	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	male	#3416	5	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	male	#4678	3	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	male	#3095	5	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	male	#1962	7	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	male	#2254	5	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	male	#1746	7	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	male	#2501	4	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	male	#1850	6	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	male	#2419	4	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	male	#2337	4	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	male	#2357	4	High	Verified
2024	Northern Ireland	male	#216	9	High	Verified
2022	Northern Ireland	male	#234	8	High	Verified
2021	Northern Ireland	male	#200	11	High	Verified
2020	Northern Ireland	male	#231	8	High	Verified
2019	Northern Ireland	male	#242	8	High	Verified
2018	Northern Ireland	male	#319	5	High	Verified
2017	Northern Ireland	male	#250	7	High	Verified
2016	Northern Ireland	male	#320	5	High	Verified
2015	Northern Ireland	male	#187	12	High	Verified
2014	Northern Ireland	male	#184	13	High	Verified
2013	Northern Ireland	male	#200	11	High	Verified
2012	Northern Ireland	male	#273	6	High	Verified
2011	Northern Ireland	male	#245	7	High	Verified
2010	Northern Ireland	male	#211	10	High	Verified
2009	Northern Ireland	male	#200	11	High	Verified
2008	Northern Ireland	male	#207	10	High	Verified
2007	Northern Ireland	male	#236	7	High	Verified
2006	Northern Ireland	male	#152	15	High	Verified
2005	Northern Ireland	male	#178	11	High	Verified
2004	Northern Ireland	male	#133	17	High	Verified
2003	Northern Ireland	male	#180	9	High	Verified
2002	Northern Ireland	male	#186	7	High	Verified
2001	Northern Ireland	male	#173	9	High	Verified
2000	Northern Ireland	male	#152	10	High	Verified
1999	Northern Ireland	male	#140	13	High	Verified
1998	Northern Ireland	male	#117	18	High	Verified
1997	Northern Ireland	male	#160	10	High	Verified
2025	Republic of Ireland	male	#509	6	High	Verified
2024	Republic of Ireland	male	#374	10	High	Verified
2023	Republic of Ireland	male	#343	11	High	Verified
2022	Republic of Ireland	male	#367	11	High	Verified
2021	Republic of Ireland	male	#364	10	High	Verified
2020	Republic of Ireland	male	#402	9	High	Verified
2019	Republic of Ireland	male	#268	17	High	Verified
2018	Republic of Ireland	male	#291	15	High	Verified
2017	Republic of Ireland	male	#272	17	High	Verified
2016	Republic of Ireland	male	#190	30	High	Verified
2015	Republic of Ireland	male	#221	25	High	Verified
2014	Republic of Ireland	male	#193	30	High	Verified
2013	Republic of Ireland	male	#202	29	High	Verified
2012	Republic of Ireland	male	#221	26	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	male	#183	36	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	male	#183	35	High	Verified
2009	Republic of Ireland	male	#156	40	High	Verified
2008	Republic of Ireland	male	#152	44	High	Verified
2007	Republic of Ireland	male	#190	26	High	Verified
2006	Republic of Ireland	male	#144	37	High	Verified
2005	Republic of Ireland	male	#119	46	High	Verified
2004	Republic of Ireland	male	#146	30	High	Verified
2003	Republic of Ireland	male	#136	31	High	Verified
2002	Republic of Ireland	male	#134	33	High	Verified
2001	Republic of Ireland	male	#120	37	High	Verified
2000	Republic of Ireland	male	#113	41	High	Verified
1999	Republic of Ireland	male	#92	52	High	Verified
1998	Republic of Ireland	male	#89	48	High	Verified
1997	Republic of Ireland	male	#83	73	High	Verified
1996	Republic of Ireland	male	#96	60	High	Verified
1995	Republic of Ireland	male	#80	73	High	Verified
1994	Republic of Ireland	male	#77	79	High	Verified
1993	Republic of Ireland	male	#88	68	High	Verified
1992	Republic of Ireland	male	#75	88	High	Verified
1991	Republic of Ireland	male	#67	96	High	Verified
1990	Republic of Ireland	male	#65	109	High	Verified
1989	Republic of Ireland	male	#68	98	High	Verified
1988	Republic of Ireland	male	#65	115	High	Verified
1987	Republic of Ireland	male	#66	113	High	Verified
1986	Republic of Ireland	male	#62	120	High	Verified
1985	Republic of Ireland	male	#58	127	High	Verified
1984	Republic of Ireland	male	#56	150	High	Verified
1983	Republic of Ireland	male	#61	141	High	Verified
1982	Republic of Ireland	male	#52	178	High	Verified
1981	Republic of Ireland	male	#60	161	High	Verified
1980	Republic of Ireland	male	#57	186	High	Verified
1979	Republic of Ireland	male	#67	144	High	Verified
1978	Republic of Ireland	male	#61	152	High	Verified
1977	Republic of Ireland	male	#55	178	High	Verified
1976	Republic of Ireland	male	#55	178	High	Verified
1975	Republic of Ireland	male	#56	164	High	Verified
1974	Republic of Ireland	male	#48	214	High	Verified
1973	Republic of Ireland	male	#53	199	High	Verified
1972	Republic of Ireland	male	#54	159	High	Verified
1971	Republic of Ireland	male	#54	160	High	Verified
1970	Republic of Ireland	male	#44	165	High	Verified
1969	Republic of Ireland	male	#44	160	High	Verified
1968	Republic of Ireland	male	#42	156	High	Verified
1967	Republic of Ireland	male	#43	155	High	Verified
1966	Republic of Ireland	male	#44	157	High	Verified
1965	Republic of Ireland	male	#38	189	High	Verified
1964	Republic of Ireland	male	#45	144	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
Northern Ireland hub — collected by NISRA
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 3 registrars between 1964 and 2025, ranked in 62 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #38, first reached in 1965.

It held a top-100 place in 36 years, 36 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 214 births, registered in Republic of Ireland in 1974.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1996, and 33 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Dona · #447, 13y
Donagh · #125, 61y
Donald · #34, 68y
Donall · #215, 23y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 3 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Senan · #38, 62y
Cornelius · #39, 62y
Grainne · #37, 61y
Daire · #40, 60y

Also first recorded in the 1960s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1960 and 1969.

Eliza · #38, 48y
Senan · #38, 62y
Austin · #37, 62y
Bianca · #39, 54y

Donal was ranked #38 in Republic of Ireland · Boys in 1965. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Donal and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,573 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Donal without appearing here.

Donal moved ahead of

Shannon Compare
In 2001 they stood at #1746 and #1467 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2002 that had become #2254 and #3225.
Kelly Compare
In 2013 they stood at #3416 and #2721 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2014 that had become #2964 and #3362.
Graeme Compare
In 2001 they stood at #1746 and #1595 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2002 that had become #2254 and #2636.
Brendan Compare
In 2020 they stood at #231 and #213 in Northern Ireland · Boys; by 2021 that had become #200 and #433.

Moved ahead of Donal

Kasper Compare
In 2006 they stood at #1962 and #2857 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2007 that had become #3095 and #820.
Matheo Compare
In 2009 they stood at #3095 and #4333 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2010 that had become #4678 and #2629.
Erin Compare
In 2019 they stood at #3416 and #4805 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2020 that had become #4608 and #2960.
Madison Compare
In 2023 they stood at #2964 and #4632 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2024 that had become #5119 and #3688.

Moved the opposite way to Donal

Alexander Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Donal went from #45 to #509 while Alexander went from #116 to #55.
Benjamin Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Donal went from #45 to #509 while Benjamin went from #139 to #83.
Conor Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Donal went from #45 to #509 while Conor went from #56 to #16.
Liam Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Donal went from #45 to #509 while Liam went from #54 to #7.

Moved the same way as Donal

Adrian Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Donal went from #45 to #509 and Adrian from #65 to #348.
Alfred Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Donal went from #45 to #509 and Alfred from #134 to #286.
Denis Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Donal went from #45 to #509 and Denis from #21 to #232.
Edward Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Donal went from #45 to #509 and Edward from #18 to #125.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 3 regions, from 1964 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #38 in Republic of Ireland in 1965. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

Donal

Donal at a glance

What stands out in Donal's record

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Donal across 3 official records

Donal by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Donal appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1960s

Names published alongside Donal

Donal and the names beside it

Donal moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Donal

Moved the opposite way to Donal

Moved the same way as Donal

Donal at a glance

What stands out in Donal's record

Donal across 3 official records

Donal by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Donal appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1960s

Names published alongside Donal

Donal and the names beside it

Donal moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Donal

Moved the opposite way to Donal

Moved the same way as Donal