
The short answer
Noel is a masculine name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "English form of Noël or Noëlle (rarely). It was fairly popular in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand in the middle of the 20th century." It ranked #478 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, english form of Noël or Noëlle (rarely). It was fairly popular in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand in the middle of the 20th century. The entry lists its usage as English.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Noel ranked #478 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #478 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Noel in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Noel mean?
Behind the Name does not give Noel a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: english form of Noël or Noëlle.
Is Noel a popular name?
Noel ranked #478 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Noel a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Noel appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine & feminine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Noel — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.