Cathal
Say it: KA-hal/ˈkahəlˠ/
BoyIrishMeans strong in battle6 letters2 syllables
#90
in Ireland (2025)
#92 with spellings combined
64
babies in 2025
#31
best rank (1998)
8,356
babies since 1964
Down 26
10-year rank change
Cathal through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 64 | #92 |
| 2024 | 67 | #88 |
| 2023 | 78 | #79 |
| 2022 | 92 | #75 |
| 2021 | 71 | #91 |
| 2020 | 98 | #70 |
| 2019 | 107 | #62 |
| 2018 | 113 | #60 |
| 2017 | 114 | #61 |
| 2016 | 116 | #65 |
| 2015 | 118 | #66 |
| 2014 | 121 | #69 |
| 2013 | 156 | #54 |
| 2012 | 160 | #56 |
| 2011 | 208 | #44 |
| 2010 | 202 | #42 |
| 2009 | 195 | #47 |
| 2008 | 233 | #36 |
| 2007 | 210 | #38 |
| 2006 | 219 | #35 |
| 2005 | 226 | #31 |
| 2004 | 209 | #34 |
| 2003 | 170 | #39 |
| 2002 | 179 | #38 |
| 2001 | 198 | #38 |
| 2000 | 207 | #35 |
| 1999 | 162 | #42 |
| 1998 | 195 | #31 |
| 1997 | 243 | #37 |
| 1996 | 197 | #43 |
| 1995 | 164 | #46 |
| 1994 | 145 | #51 |
| 1993 | 173 | #47 |
| 1992 | 155 | #55 |
| 1991 | 155 | #52 |
| 1990 | 142 | #56 |
| 1989 | 128 | #59 |
| 1988 | 123 | #61 |
| 1987 | 145 | #54 |
| 1986 | 116 | #66 |
| 1985 | 126 | #59 |
| 1984 | 134 | #63 |
| 1983 | 123 | #65 |
| 1982 | 134 | #66 |
| 1981 | 115 | #74 |
| 1980 | 135 | #67 |
| 1979 | 156 | #60 |
| 1978 | 112 | #71 |
| 1977 | 119 | #72 |
| 1976 | 103 | #74 |
| 1975 | 123 | #68 |
| 1974 | 108 | #69 |
| 1973 | 114 | #70 |
| 1972 | 119 | #67 |
| 1971 | 90 | #80 |
| 1970 | 68 | #90 |
| 1969 | 73 | #82 |
| 1968 | 54 | #86 |
| 1967 | 58 | #82 |
| 1966 | 55 | #85 |
| 1965 | 31 | #105 |
| 1964 | 32 | #96 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0. Spellings with and without fadas are combined; the CSO only recorded fadas from 2018.
★ What does Cathal mean?
Strong in battle
Irish, from Old Irish Cathal, from a Celtic compound of words for battle and rule.
Say it right
KAhal
The "th" is said like an "h", so it is never KATH-al.
Not:KATH-al
The story of Cathal
Cathal goes back to an old Celtic compound meaning “strong in battle”. The first part is related to cath, the Irish word for battle, and the second to an old word for rule or a ruler, which also turns up at the end of names like Domhnall and Conall. The Welsh name Cadwal is a cousin. In English records Cathal was sometimes written as Charles, though the two names are unrelated.
It was a favourite name among Irish kings. Cathal mac Finguine was a powerful King of Munster in the eighth century, and Cathal Crobhdearg Ua Conchobair, “of the red hand”, ruled Connacht around 1200. In modern times the revolutionary Cathal Brugha is the best-known bearer.
Cathal has been given in Ireland throughout the CSO records. It was most popular around the turn of the millennium: the count was highest in 1997, with 243 boys, and its best rank was number 31 in 1998. It was number 90 in 2025. It has always been less common in Northern Ireland, where it was 149th in 2025.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Cathal (Irish proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Cathal
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Cathal | 64 | 8,352 |
| Cáthal | under 3 | 4 |
In Northern Ireland
#149 in 2025 with 15 babies. Best rank #78 (1997); 572 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.