Randal is a unique and distinctive male given name of English origin. It is derived from the Old Germanic elements "rand" meaning "shield" and "wald" which means "rule". Therefore, the name Randal literally translates to "powerful shield ruler".
The name has a rich history dating back to medieval times in England. It was often used as a surname before being adopted as a given name in more recent years. Some notable figures with the name Randal include Sir Randal MacDonald (1765-1843), a Scottish leader who fought against British rule, and Randal Plunkett, 1st Baron Dunsany (1878-1944), an Irish novelist and playwright.
While not as common as some other names, Randal has been steadily gaining popularity in recent years. According to data from the Social Security Administration, it ranked #1,356 in popularity for baby boys born in the United States in 2019. This unique name is sure to stand out and make an impression wherever it's heard.
The statistics provided show the number of babies named Randal born in the United States each year from 1949 to 1994. The name Randal was most popular during the late 1980s, with a peak of 37 births in 1986. This is a significant increase compared to the years prior, such as 5 births in 1949 and 6 births in both 1959 and 1961. However, the popularity of the name began to decline after this peak, with only 24 births in 1987 and 11 births in 1988. Throughout these years, the total number of babies named Randal born in the United States was 132.