UK boy's name
Chael
A name believed to relate to the Hebrew name 'Chayil' meaning "strength" or "force".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Chael is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Chael popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5119, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2013, with 7 births.
This profile covers 35 England and Wales registrations across 8 recorded years from 2011 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 43% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 35 living people in the UK are called Chael. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Chael ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2013, when 7 boys were registered as Chael.
- • About 35 living people in the UK are estimated to have Chael as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5119
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2013
7 births
Estimated living
35
2026
Meaning
What does Chael mean?
The given name Chael is believed to have originated from the Hebrew language and culture, with its roots tracing back to ancient times. It is thought to be a variation of the name Michael, derived from the Hebrew words "mi ka'el," which translates to "who is like God."
Historically, the name Chael has been associated with several notable figures. In the Old Testament of the Bible, there is a mention of a man named Chael, who was a son of Semida from the tribe of Manasseh. This reference dates back to around the 13th century BCE.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Chael was Chael of Antioch, a Christian martyr who lived in the 3rd century CE. He was executed during the persecution of Christians under the Roman emperor Decius.
In the 11th century, there was a prominent figure named Chael the Wise, a renowned scholar and philosopher from Persia. He is known for his contributions to the fields of mathematics, astronomy, and literature.
During the Middle Ages, a French knight named Chael de Montfort gained recognition for his bravery and military exploits in the Crusades. He participated in the Siege of Acre in 1191 CE.
In the 16th century, an Italian painter and architect named Chael Buonarroti, better known as Michelangelo, left an indelible mark on the world of art with his masterpieces, including the Sistine Chapel ceiling and the statue of David.
Throughout history, the name Chael has also been associated with various other noteworthy individuals, including Chael Faraday, an English scientist who contributed significantly to the study of electromagnetism in the 19th century, and Chael Phelps, an American swimmer and the most decorated Olympian of all time, born in 1985.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Chael over time
The chart below shows babies named Chael registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2011 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Chael, the clearest high point is 2013. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Chael by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Chael was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #5119 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #3825 | 32 | 7 |
Related
Names similar to Chael
- Charlie 104,761
- Callum 65,796
- Connor 53,072
- Cameron 40,394
- Charles 33,091
- Christopher 26,849
- Caleb 15,553
- Corey 12,622
- Carter 11,505
- Cody 11,075
- Conor 10,298
- Christian 9,695
FAQ
Chael: questions and answers
How popular is the name Chael in the UK right now?
In 2024, Chael was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Chael most popular?
The peak year on record was 2013, with 7 babies registered as Chael in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Chael?
A name believed to relate to the Hebrew name 'Chayil' meaning "strength" or "force".
How many people are called Chael in the UK?
A total of 35 babies have been registered as Chael across the 8 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.