Irish name meaning 'battle' is a beautiful option for boys

An old Irish name for boys meaning 'battle' is a popular choice for parents in Ireland . However, parents of newborns in the US have probably never heard of it .

Irish names have proven popular in the US for generations. In fact, the Irish name Liam has been the most popular name in the US for newborn baby boys for the last few years.

Other popular names for boys in the US include Gael and Aiden. Meanwhile, for girls, there was a clear trend when it came to popular Irish names for newborns .

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For girls, names like Riley and Kennedy, which come from Irish surnames, proved popular. However, there are many Irish names that you never really hear in the US.

One of them is Cathal, pronounced 'kaw-hal'. Cathal is a name that remains relatively popular in Ireland but has never really taken off in the US.

Cathal means 'battle' or 'battle rule'. It is among the strong Irish names for boys with meanings related to strength and power. The name appears in Irish folklore and history on a number of occasions.

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Figures from history and lore who bear the name include St. Cathal of Taranto, King of Munster Cathal Mac Finguine, and King of Connacht Cathal Mac Muiredaig, to name a few examples.

In 2023, Cathal was the 75th most popular baby name in Ireland. It was tied at that spot with a number of other names including Frankie, Mark, Eoin, and the Irish version of David, Dáithí.

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