Pronunciation
Ka-hal
Meaning
Strong in battle
Fun fact
Cathal has been around for centuries and was a favourite among Irish ruling families, including the O’Connors of Connacht. You might be surprised to see it anglicised as Charles in older records, they sound completely different!
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Cathal, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
#90Rank among boy names in 202564Babies registered in 2025
Number of babies registered each year
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 64 | #90 |
| 2024 | 63 | #88 |
| 2023 | 78 | #75 |
| 2022 | 92 | #73 |
| 2021 | 71 | #89 |
| 2020 | 98 | #68 |
| 2019 | 107 | #61 |
| 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, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.