Noel in Irish: Nollaig
The Irish form of Noel is Nollaig, a girl's name meaning “Christmas.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Irish form
- Nollaig
- Meaning
- Christmas
- Gender
- Boy
- Popularity in Ireland
- No. 402 for boys (2025)
How do you say Noel in Irish?
Noel in Irish is Nollaig, pronounced NULL-ig. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first.
What does Nollaig mean?
Nollaig means “Christmas.” Noel is one of the English forms of the name.
Read more about Nollaig: its meaning, origin and stories
How popular is Noel in Ireland?
In 2025, 9 baby boys in Ireland were named Noel, which made it No. 402 that year. That's down from No. 280 ten years earlier. It was most popular in 1966, when 397 baby boys were named Noel, No. 19 that year. The records go back to 1964, when 394 baby boys were given the name.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | No. 402 |
| 2024 | 9 | No. 394 |
| 2023 | 11 | No. 343 |
| 2022 | 20 | No. 239 |
| 2021 | 12 | No. 336 |
| 2020 | 13 | No. 324 |
| 2019 | 21 | No. 229 |
| 2018 | 17 | No. 269 |
| 2017 | 12 | No. 336 |
| 2016 | 17 | No. 272 |
| 2015 | 16 | No. 280 |
| 2014 | 18 | No. 267 |
| 2013 | 16 | No. 282 |
| 2012 | 16 | No. 290 |
| 2011 | 22 | No. 238 |
| 2010 | 17 | No. 278 |
| 2009 | 20 | No. 251 |
| 2008 | 23 | No. 225 |
| 2007 | 21 | No. 220 |
| 2006 | 25 | No. 180 |
| 2005 | 16 | No. 213 |
| 2004 | 22 | No. 171 |
| 2003 | 23 | No. 166 |
| 2002 | 26 | No. 148 |
| 2001 | 23 | No. 150 |
| 2000 | 26 | No. 145 |
| 1999 | 22 | No. 149 |
| 1998 | 22 | No. 145 |
| 1997 | 45 | No. 113 |
| 1996 | 56 | No. 101 |
| 1995 | 44 | No. 111 |
| 1994 | 64 | No. 87 |
| 1993 | 74 | No. 84 |
| 1992 | 70 | No. 87 |
| 1991 | 83 | No. 73 |
| 1990 | 94 | No. 74 |
| 1989 | 125 | No. 61 |
| 1988 | 99 | No. 68 |
| 1987 | 152 | No. 51 |
| 1986 | 156 | No. 52 |
| 1985 | 181 | No. 48 |
| 1984 | 173 | No. 51 |
| 1983 | 183 | No. 50 |
| 1982 | 237 | No. 47 |
| 1981 | 235 | No. 48 |
| 1980 | 282 | No. 42 |
| 1979 | 250 | No. 43 |
| 1978 | 241 | No. 41 |
| 1977 | 256 | No. 39 |
| 1976 | 317 | No. 29 |
| 1975 | 280 | No. 32 |
| 1974 | 284 | No. 34 |
| 1973 | 363 | No. 23 |
| 1972 | 297 | No. 27 |
| 1971 | 360 | No. 22 |
| 1970 | 372 | No. 22 |
| 1969 | 332 | No. 23 |
| 1968 | 366 | No. 23 |
| 1967 | 356 | No. 22 |
| 1966 | 397 | No. 19 |
| 1965 | 374 | No. 21 |
| 1964 | 394 | No. 20 |
Nollaig in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Nollaig, letter by letter.
- NNion, ash
- OOnn, gorse
- LLuis, rowan
- LLuis, rowan
- AAilm, pine
- IIodhadh, yew
- GGort, ivy
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Noel
Questions about Noel
- What is Noel in Irish?
- The Irish form of Noel is Nollaig, pronounced NULL-ig. Nollaig means “Christmas.”
- How do you pronounce Nollaig?
- Nollaig is pronounced NULL-ig. Two syllables, stress on the first.
- Is Noel a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Noel is a boy's name.
- How popular is Noel in Ireland?
- In 2025, Noel was No. 402 for boys in Ireland, with 9 babies, according to the Central Statistics Office. It was most popular in 1966, at No. 19.