Noel
Noel or Noël is a given name, often given to both girls and boys born over the Christmas period.
Meaning & Origin of Noel
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Noel or Noël is a given name, often given to both girls and boys born over the Christmas period.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Noel
As a girl name
Noel first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1909, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1987, when 336 Noels were born — ranking #587 that year. As of 2026, Noel ranks #1,388 for girls with 161 births, gradually falling (-9%). In total, more than 15K Noels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Noel first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1880, with 10 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2014, when 901 Noels were born — ranking #356 that year. As of 2026, Noel ranks #444 for boys with 713 births, gradually falling (-8%). In total, more than 53K Noels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Noel
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Noël (singer) , American disco singer
- Noel Agazarian (1916–1941), British pilot
- Noël Atom (b. 2005), German footballer
- Noel Barrionuevo (b. 1984), Argentine female professional field hockey player and Olympian
- Noel Bauldeweyn (c. 1480–1513), Franco-Flemish composer
- Noel Blanc (b. 1938), American voice actor, son of Mel Blanc
- Noel Cabangon (b. 1963), Filipino singer
- Noel Chavasse (1884–1917), British medical officer and decorated hero
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Noel
Phonetically similar names — useful when Noel is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Noel
What does the name Noel mean?
How popular is Noel in 2026?
When was Noel most popular?
In which U.S. states is Noel most popular?
Is Noel a unisex name?
What names go well with Noel?
About the name Noel
Noel is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 53K births in the dataset. Noel's peak popularity came in 2014 when it ranked #266. Use the chart and map above to compare Noel's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2014 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "N" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.