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Cathal

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{distinguish|Cathall}}

{{Infobox given name2

| name = Cathal

| pronunciation = {{IPAc-en|lang|ˈ|k|Q|h|əl}}
{{IPA|ga|ˈkahəlˠ|lang}}

| gender = Masculine

| language = Irish
Scottish Gaelic
English

| languageorigin = Celtic

| derivation = cath + val

| meaning = "battle" + "ruler"

| seealso = Cathal, Cathel, Cahal, Charles, Cahill, Kathel

}}

Cathal is a common given name in Ireland. The name is derived from two Celtic elements: the first, cath, means "battle"; the second element, val, means "rule".{{citation |last1=Hanks |first1=Patrick |last2=Hardcastle |author-link1=Patrick Hanks |first2=Kate |last3=Hodges |first3=Flavia |title=A Dictionary of First Names |edition=2nd |series=Oxford Paperback Reference |year=2006 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=978-0-19-861060-1 |pages=343 |quote=Irish Gaelic: name derived from the Old Celtic vocabulary elements cath battle + val rule. It was borne by a 7th-century saint who served as head of the monastic school at Lismore, before being appointed bishop of Taranto in south Italy. In Gaelic Scotland the name appears to have been borne only by descendants of the Mac Mhuirichs, a learned family of Irish origin.}} There is no feminine form of Cathal. The Gaelic name has several anglicised forms, such as Cathel,{{citation |last=Maceachen |first=Ewan |title=Maceachen's Gaelic-English Dictionary |edition=4, revised and enlarged |url=https://archive.org/details/gaelicenglishdic00mace |pages=467–469 | publisher=The Northern Counties Newspaper and Printing and Publishing Company |year=1922 }} Cahal, Cahill and Kathel.{{citation |last=MacFarlane |first=Malcolm |author-link=Malcolm MacFarlane |title=The School Gaelic Dictionary prepared for the use of learners of the Gaelic language |publisher=Eneas Mackay |location=Stirling |year=1912 |url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924026841043 |page=144 }} It has also been anglicised as Charles, although this name is of an entirely different origin as it is derived from a Germanic element, karl, meaning "free man".{{citation |last1=Hanks |first1=Patrick |last2=Hardcastle |author-link1=Patrick Hanks |first2=Kate |last3=Hodges |first3=Flavia |title=A Dictionary of First Names |edition=2nd |series=Oxford Paperback Reference |year=2006 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=978-0-19-861060-1 |pages=52 }}

As is evident from the list below, the name was in medieval times most popular in Ireland's two western provinces, Munster and Connacht.

People with the name

=Pre-19th century=

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=Later=

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Places

See also

References

{{reflist}}

{{Gaelic names}}

{{given name}}

Category:Irish-language masculine given names

Category:English-language masculine given names

Category:Masculine given names

Category:Scottish Gaelic masculine given names