boy's name
Donal
DOH-nul (English)
- Origin Irish
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (Ireland)
- Births on record 9,607
Ireland
#554
2025 births
Donal is a boy's name with 2 syllables. In 2023 it was given to 5 babies in the United States. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in Ireland.
- Donal is a name of Irish origin.
- Peaked in Ireland in 1974, when 214 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade in Ireland.
- Today about 1 in 7,476 babies in Ireland is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1964.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Donal Over Time
Births per decade in Ireland, 1960s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 961 |
| 1970s | 1,713 |
| 1980s | 1,389 |
| 1990s | 746 |
| 2000s | 365 |
| 2010s | 283 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 95 |
How Popular Is Donal?
In 2025, Donal was given to 6 babies in Ireland, ranking #554 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in Ireland.
Where Donal Is Used
Irish figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year, so a gap means the name fell below that floor rather than went unused. The Central Statistics Office began recording the síneadh fada in 2018, so accented and unaccented spellings are counted separately from that year on. Data & sources.
How Donal Is Spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Dónal | Dónal is a rare spelling of Donal, written with a fada and recorded 61 times, mostly in Ireland. | 61 |
Names That Peaked Alongside Donal
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Donal Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Donal over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Donal
- English DOH-nul
Donal in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Other forms
- Forms we hold no single language for — some are used across several, some are simply spelled differently.
- Dónal
Sibling Names for Donal
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Donal — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Donal
How popular is the name Donal?
In 2025, Donal was given to 6 babies in Ireland, ranking #554 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in Ireland.
Is Donal a girl's or a boy's name?
Donal is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Donal?
Donal has 2 syllables.
When was Donal most popular?
Donal peaked in 1974, when 214 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
Is Donal a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Donal currently ranks #234 in Ireland. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.