The baby name Cathal is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced Irish: /ˈkaːhəl/ (approx. "KAH-hul"); Anglicized variants: /ˈkæθəl/ or /ˈkɑːhəl/ (approx. "KATH-əl" or "KA-hul").
Cathal is Irish in Origin.
The baby name Cathal is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced Irish: /ˈkaːhəl/ (approx. "KAH-hul"); Anglicized variants: /ˈkæθəl/ or /ˈkɑːhəl/ (approx. "KATH-əl" or "KA-hul").
Cathal is Irish in Origin.
Cathal is an Irish Gaelic masculine name built from Old Irish cath “battle” plus a Celtic element related to Proto-Celtic walos “ruler, might,” yielding the sense “battle ruler” or “mighty in battle.” In Irish it is pronounced KA-hal, with a silent th. The compound belongs to a wider Celtic naming pattern based on cath/cad “battle.”
Medieval usage is richly attested: several kings of Connacht bore the name, most famously Cathal Crobdearg Ua Conchobair (d. 1224). A 7th‑century Irish monk and bishop is remembered as Saint Cathaldus (Italian Cataldo), which spread a Latinized form. Anglicized variants include Cahal, and the by-translation Charles is sometimes used in English records, though it is not etymologically related. The surname Cahill derives from Ó Cathail, “descendant of Cathal.” Today the name remains familiar in Ireland and among the diaspora, retaining a strong traditional character.
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland | Boys | 2025 | #1 | — | 836 |
| SG | 0 | #282 | 1 | 11,010 | |
| CZ | Boys | 0 | #305 | 1 | 6,530 |
| CN | Boys | 0 | #331 | 1 | 9,639 |
| PL | Boys | 0 | #340 | 1 | 6,459 |
| RU | Boys | 0 | #526 | 1 | 12,621 |
| HK | Boys | 0 | #556 | 2 | 12,905 |
| SG | Boys | 0 | #739 | 1 | 17,960 |
| QA | Boys | 0 | #743 | 1 | 18,093 |
| KW | Boys | 0 | #805 | 2 | 18,755 |
| United States | Boys | 2015 | #881 | 5 | 7,337 |
| OM | Boys | 0 | #918 | 1 | 17,948 |
| PE | Boys | 0 | #926 | 1 | 14,506 |
| AE | Boys | 0 | #1,143 | 1 | 22,615 |
| MY | Boys | 0 | #1,182 | 1 | 25,439 |
| TR | 0 | #1,253 | 2 | 19,440 | |
| ZA | Boys | 0 | #1,272 | 1 | 25,619 |
Cathal is popular in 15 countries — most recent births per country:
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