Donnel
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- doh-NEL
- Origin
- Irish
Donnel is a boys' name of Irish origin, meaning “world ruler”. Too few babies were given it in the latest year to rank.
What does Donnel mean?
Irish: spelling of Donnell; Irish surname from the personal name Domhnall
“world ruler”
The O'Donnells, descendants of a Domhnall, were lords of Tír Chonaill in present-day County Donegal.
Meaning borrowed from Donnell.
Is Donnel a girl's or a boy's name?
Donnel is a boys' name.
How popular is Donnel in the UK?
No boys in the UK were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 2003, with 5 boys.
Donnel in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 4 | #3,836 |
| 2007 | 4 | #3,748 |
| 2006 | 5 | #3,013 |
| 2005 | 0 | – |
| 2004 | 0 | – |
| 2003 | 5 | #2,574 |
| 2002 | 0 | – |
| 2001 | 0 | – |
| 2000 | 3 | #3,146 |
How popular is Donnel in the US?
No boys in the US were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 1980, with 20 boys. It first appears in the records in 1922.
Half of all the boys named Donnel in the US since 1880 were born between 1958 and 1989, the years shaded on the chart below.
Donnel in the US, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 6 | #10,770 |
| 2016 | 0 | – |
| 2015 | 0 | – |
| 2014 | 7 | #9,636 |
| 2013 | 10 | #7,532 |
| 2012 | 6 | #10,763 |
| 2011 | 5 | #12,280 |
| 2010 | 5 | #12,224 |
| 2009 | 8 | #8,980 |
| 2008 | 0 | – |
| 2007 | 7 | #9,782 |
| 2006 | 0 | – |
| 2005 | 5 | #11,464 |
| 2004 | 6 | #9,941 |
| 2003 | 5 | #10,886 |
| 2002 | 8 | #7,636 |
| 2001 | 0 | – |
| 2000 | 7 | #8,202 |
| 1999 | 5 | #9,905 |
| 1998 | 7 | #7,553 |
| 1997 | 14 | #4,446 |
| 1996 | 9 | #5,975 |
| 1995 | 8 | #6,400 |
| 1994 | 12 | #4,797 |
| 1993 | 8 | #6,221 |
| 1992 | 13 | #4,319 |
| 1991 | 10 | #5,088 |
| 1990 | 12 | #4,401 |
| 1989 | 13 | #4,011 |
| 1988 | 8 | #5,194 |
| 1987 | 14 | #3,334 |
| 1986 | 6 | #5,920 |
| 1985 | 9 | #4,328 |
| 1984 | 11 | #3,698 |
| 1983 | 15 | #2,911 |
| 1982 | 19 | #2,517 |
| 1981 | 12 | #3,410 |
| 1980 | 20 | #2,443 |
| 1979 | 10 | #3,808 |
| 1978 | 17 | #2,567 |
| 1977 | 5 | #5,843 |
| 1976 | 15 | #2,708 |
| 1975 | 14 | #2,749 |
| 1974 | 19 | #2,197 |
| 1973 | 10 | #3,221 |
| 1972 | 16 | #2,323 |
| 1971 | 16 | #2,365 |
| 1970 | 8 | #3,519 |
| 1969 | 7 | #3,594 |
| 1968 | 18 | #1,893 |
| 1967 | 11 | #2,469 |
| 1966 | 13 | #2,215 |
| 1965 | 10 | #2,615 |
| 1964 | 17 | #1,974 |
| 1963 | 8 | #3,043 |
| 1962 | 9 | #2,846 |
| 1961 | 14 | #2,241 |
| 1960 | 11 | #2,533 |
| 1959 | 11 | #2,529 |
| 1958 | 15 | #2,092 |
| 1957 | 9 | #2,820 |
| 1956 | 0 | – |
| 1955 | 10 | #2,557 |
| 1954 | 13 | #2,206 |
| 1953 | 0 | – |
| 1952 | 9 | #2,678 |
| 1951 | 7 | #3,064 |
| 1950 | 8 | #2,769 |
| 1949 | 0 | – |
| 1948 | 0 | – |
| 1947 | 0 | – |
| 1946 | 6 | #3,171 |
| 1945 | 9 | #2,392 |
| 1944 | 7 | #2,861 |
| 1943 | 8 | #2,731 |
| 1942 | 8 | #2,711 |
| 1941 | 9 | #2,491 |
| 1940 | 6 | #3,130 |
| 1939 | 0 | – |
| 1938 | 11 | #2,185 |
| 1937 | 11 | #2,197 |
| 1936 | 9 | #2,451 |
| 1935 | 7 | #2,951 |
| 1934 | 6 | #3,275 |
| 1933 | 10 | #2,367 |
| 1932 | 0 | – |
| 1931 | 0 | – |
| 1930 | 0 | – |
| 1929 | 0 | – |
| 1928 | 8 | #3,074 |
| 1927 | 5 | #4,208 |
| 1926 | 0 | – |
| 1925 | 5 | #4,195 |
| 1924 | 0 | – |
| 1923 | 6 | #3,819 |
| 1922 | 5 | #4,305 |
Nicknames for Donnel
- Don 9 boys in the UK in 2025
Names like Donnel
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Ryan Cody Conan Regan Kevin Casey Daniel Kody Declan Keegan Brian Conn
Names related to Donnel
More Irish names
Oscar Rowan Rory Maeve Finn Aiden Nolan Quinn Orla Erin Ronan Connor Kennedy Callan Lennon Cillian
Sources
Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Donnel: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/donnel, updated 20 October 2026.