Connal
A masculine name of Scottish Gaelic origin meaning "firm" or "strong".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Connal. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Connal today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Connal births was 2011 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Connal. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Connal with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Connal. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2011
5 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2011 SSA rank
#12,641
Tracked since 2011
Popularity
Connal: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Connal by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Connal during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Connal
The name Connal is derived from the Gaelic language, which has its roots in ancient Celtic cultures. It is believed to have originated in Scotland and Ireland during the Middle Ages, around the 5th to 10th centuries AD.
Connal is a combination of two Gaelic words: "conn," meaning wisdom or reason, and "val," meaning rule or reign. Thus, the name Connal can be interpreted as "wise ruler" or "one who rules with wisdom." This name was likely bestowed upon individuals who were respected for their intelligence, leadership abilities, and fair governance.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Connal dates back to the 6th century AD, when a Scottish king known as Connal Cerr ruled over the ancient Kingdom of Dalriada. Connal Cerr is mentioned in various historical accounts and medieval Irish annals, such as the Annals of Ulster and the Annals of Tigernach.
Another notable Connal from history was Connal mac Taidg, an Irish king who ruled over the Kingdom of Connacht in the 7th century AD. He is mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters, a renowned chronicle of medieval Irish history.
In the 12th century, a Scottish noble named Connal of Atholl was a prominent figure during the reign of King William the Lion. Connal of Atholl played a significant role in the political and military affairs of Scotland during that era.
Moving forward in time, Connal Ballagh was a 16th-century Irish chieftain from the O'Rourke dynasty in County Leitrim, Ireland. He is remembered for his bravery and resistance against English colonization efforts in the region.
Furthermore, Connal Gulban, a 17th-century Scottish Highlander, was a renowned warrior and clan chief from the Isle of Skye. He is celebrated in traditional Scottish folklore and ballads for his valor and leadership during times of conflict.
While the name Connal has its roots in ancient Celtic cultures, it has transcended its geographical origins and has been adopted by various cultures around the world, albeit with slight variations in spelling and pronunciation.
People
Connal + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Connal as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Connal: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Connal?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Connal going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Connal a common name?
We classify Connal as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Connal most popular?
The single biggest year for Connal was 2011, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Connal is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Connal in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Connal a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Connal in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Connal still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Connal in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Connal can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Connal?
You can see how many people share the name Connal on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.