Noel
noh-EL; often NOH-el in English
A Christmas name from the French word for the Nativity or Christmas Day.
Meaning
Noel comes from French Noël, ultimately from Latin natalis, meaning “birth” or “of the Nativity.” In Christian naming, it was used for a child born at Christmas or in connection with the feast day itself. The excerpts also note it as a contracted translation of “natal day,” and that it became a personal name in France before being used as a surname.
Origin
FrenchLatinmasculine
Fun fact
The same Christmas-rooted naming idea shows up in Welsh as Nadolig, which the excerpts compare directly to Noel.
Confidence: sourced. Sources: History of Christian Names, Praenomina; or, the etymology of the principal Christian names of Great Britain and Ireland, Girls' Names and Name-Day and Birthday Book, Curiosities of Puritan Nomenclature, A list of Christian names, their derivatives, nicknames and equivalents in several languages.