Donnell first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Donnell has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Donnell

Anglicized form of the Irish name Domhnall, meaning "world ruler" or "world mighty".

Popularity of Donnell by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Donnell is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 97% of people named Donnell being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 23 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Donnell.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 23 0
2022 32 0
2021 29 0
2020 46 0
2019 34 0
2018 60 0
2017 51 0
2016 75 0
2015 78 0
2014 89 0
2013 82 0
2012 88 0
2011 75 0
2010 105 0
2009 79 0
2008 125 0
2007 135 0
2006 139 5
2005 110 0
2004 134 0
2003 107 0
2002 123 0
2001 155 0
2000 149 0
1999 135 0
1998 131 0
1997 159 0
1996 165 0
1995 171 0
1994 197 0
1993 195 5
1992 203 0
1991 207 5
1990 239 7
1989 249 6
1988 239 0
1987 220 7
1986 206 11
1985 217 12
1984 259 19
1983 218 13
1982 290 15
1981 260 18
1980 271 15
1979 249 18
1978 205 19
1977 227 22
1976 254 14
1975 269 25
1974 264 20

The history of the first name Donnell

The name Donnell is derived from the Gaelic personal name Domhnall, which is composed of the elements domhnu, meaning "world," and val, meaning "ruler" or "prince." It originated in Ireland and Scotland, where it was a popular name among the Gaelic dynasties.

Domhnall was the name of several Irish kings and princes in the medieval period, including Domhnall Ua Néill, the King of Ailech and Cenél nEógain in the late 10th century, and Domhnall Mac Raghnaill, the King of Dublin in the 11th century. The name was also borne by Scottish kings, such as Domnall II, the King of Scots from 889 to 900.

The earliest recorded instances of the Anglicized spelling "Donnell" date back to the 16th century, when it was used as a variant of the Gaelic name Domhnall. Notable historical figures with this name include Donnell Balloch, a 16th-century Scottish clan chief and military leader, and Donnell O'Cahan, an Irish chieftain and leader of the O'Cahan clan in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

Other notable individuals named Donnell throughout history include:

  1. Donnell Gault (1616-1678), a Scottish soldier and military officer who fought for the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.
  2. Donnell Mackey (1616-1695), an Irish Catholic priest and theologian who served as the Bishop of Cork and Cloyne.
  3. Donnell Sampson (1790-1864), an Irish-born soldier who served in the British Army and fought in the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812.
  4. Donnell Deeny (1846-1929), an Irish politician and Member of Parliament for East Mayo from 1900 to 1918.
  5. Donnell Woolford (born 1967), an American former professional football player who played as a cornerback in the National Football League.

While the name Donnell has roots in Gaelic culture and history, it has been adopted and used widely across various regions and cultures over the centuries.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Donnell was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Donnell, please contact us.

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"Donnell first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/donnell-meaning-and-history/.

"Donnell first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/donnell-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Donnell first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/donnell-meaning-and-history/.

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