The baby name Kadal is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced IPA: /ˈkɑːdəl/; approximate: KAH-dahl (regional Tamil pronunciation closer to /kaɖal/).
The baby name Kadal is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced IPA: /ˈkɑːdəl/; approximate: KAH-dahl (regional Tamil pronunciation closer to /kaɖal/).
Kadal is Malayalam, Tamil in Origin.
Rooted in the Dravidian languages, Kadal derives from Tamil கடல் and Malayalam കടൽ, both meaning “sea” or “ocean.” The term is ancient in South India, appearing throughout Sangam poetry as a vivid image of the seashore landscape and maritime life. As a given name, it carries connotations of vastness, depth, movement, and resilience.
Contemporary usage favors Kadal as a sleek, nature-based unisex choice among Tamil- and Malayalam-speaking families and the wider diaspora. Variants include the scholarly transliteration Kaṭal; spelling typically remains Kadal in English. Related forms occur in compounds and honorifics, such as Malayalam Kadalamma (“Mother Sea”), though these are not personal-name equivalents. The name aligns with modern trends for elemental and place-evoking names while retaining classical literary prestige. Note: in Indonesian/Malay, kadal means “lizard,” an unrelated homograph with different cultural associations.
Kadal is rarely chosen. We have only 108 recorded uses of it on record, from 16 countries.
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MV | Boys | 0 | #79 | 1 | 3,375 |
| BG | 0 | #82 | 1 | 1,799 | |
| SA | 0 | #312 | 1 | 10,560 | |
| GH | Girls | 0 | #337 | 1 | 6,973 |
| QA | Girls | 0 | #343 | 1 | 15,378 |
| OM | Girls | 0 | #424 | 1 | 15,987 |
| BH | 0 | #587 | 1 | 17,937 | |
| BO | Boys | 0 | #622 | 1 | 9,244 |
| SG | Girls | 0 | #632 | 1 | 18,916 |
| HK | Girls | 0 | #650 | 1 | 16,104 |
| IN | Girls | 0 | #654 | 1 | 13,121 |
| LB | 0 | #690 | 1 | 13,263 | |
| SG | Boys | 0 | #731 | 9 | 17,960 |
| QA | Boys | 0 | #739 | 5 | 18,093 |
| KW | Boys | 0 | #803 | 4 | 18,755 |
| OM | Boys | 0 | #912 | 7 | 17,948 |
| IN | Boys | 0 | #988 | 14 | 16,750 |
| SA | Girls | 0 | #1,010 | 5 | 25,931 |
| MY | Girls | 0 | #1,068 | 5 | 24,821 |
| AE | Boys | 0 | #1,083 | 10 | 22,615 |
| MY | Boys | 0 | #1,098 | 14 | 25,439 |
| DZ | 0 | #1,234 | 1 | 20,130 | |
| SA | Boys | 0 | #1,593 | 22 | 28,008 |
Kadal is popular in 16 countries — most recent births per country:
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