UK boy's name
Nadal
A Catalan name meaning a Christmas celebration or festivity.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2018. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Nadal is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Nadal popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2018 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4749, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 4 births.
This profile covers 10 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2013 to 2018. 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 10 living people in the UK are called Nadal. 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 2019 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Nadal ranked #4749 for boys in England and Wales in 2018, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2014, when 4 boys were registered as Nadal.
- • About 10 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nadal as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4749
2018
Births in 2018
3
Latest year
Peak year
2014
4 births
Estimated living
10
2026
Meaning
What does Nadal mean?
Nadal is a masculine given name of Catalan origin, derived from the Latin word "natalis," meaning "birthday" or "Christmas." The name has been in use since medieval times in the regions of Catalonia, Valencia, and the Balearic Islands in Spain.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Nadal can be traced back to the 12th century in Catalan-speaking regions. It was commonly used as a name for children born around the Christmas season, reflecting the name's connection to the Nativity of Christ.
In the 13th century, the name Nadal appeared in several historical records and documents from the Kingdom of Aragon and the Crown of Aragon, which encompassed parts of present-day Spain and the Mediterranean regions. During this period, the name gained popularity among the Catalan nobility and upper classes.
One of the earliest notable figures with the name Nadal was Nadal Crespí (c. 1260-1330), a prominent Majorcan writer and philosopher known for his works on logic and natural philosophy. Another notable bearer of the name was Nadal Caldes (c. 1365-1436), a Catalan friar and theologian who served as the Bishop of Barcelona from 1420 to 1436.
In the 15th century, the name Nadal appeared in several religious texts and liturgical calendars in the Catalan regions. It was often associated with the celebration of Christmas and the birth of Jesus Christ.
During the Renaissance period, the name Nadal continued to be used in Catalan-speaking regions, and several notable individuals bore this name. One such figure was Nadal Batle (c. 1550-1610), a Majorcan poet and playwright renowned for his contributions to the development of Catalan literature.
In the 17th century, Nadal Monjo (1597-1663) was a prominent Catalan jurist and historian who served as the official chronicler of the Principality of Catalonia. His works provide valuable insights into the history and culture of the region during this period.
Moving into the 20th century, one of the most famous bearers of the name Nadal was the Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal (born 1986), widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. He has won numerous Grand Slam titles and has been ranked as the world's No. 1 player several times.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Nadal over time
The chart below shows babies named Nadal registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2013 to 2018. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Nadal, the clearest high point is 2014. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2018, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nadal by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nadal 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4443 | 10 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Nadal
- Noah 72,596
- Nathan 46,860
- Nicholas 15,983
- Nathaniel 12,151
- Niall 5,746
- Nicolas 3,825
- Nico 3,532
- Nate 2,029
- Nikodem 1,872
- Noel 1,865
- Ned 1,614
- Neo 1,563
FAQ
Nadal: questions and answers
How popular is the name Nadal in the UK right now?
In 2018, Nadal was ranked #4749 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Nadal most popular?
The peak year on record was 2014, with 4 babies registered as Nadal in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Nadal?
A Catalan name meaning a Christmas celebration or festivity.
How many people are called Nadal in the UK?
A total of 10 babies have been registered as Nadal across the 3 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.