Pronunciation
Kayl / Qwayl
These spellings are a guide to the sound. Irish pronunciation can vary by dialect.
Meaning
Slender, narrow
Fun fact
Caol means slender or narrow in Irish. Add án and you get Caolán, with the little ending. You'll also see the anglicised Keelan. So a few different names start with this one short Irish word.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Caol, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
Number of babies registered each year
Less than 3 babies were registered with this spelling in each of these years.
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2024 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2023 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2022 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2021 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2020 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2019 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2018 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2017 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2016 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2015 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2014 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2013 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2012 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2011 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2010 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2009 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2008 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2007 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2006 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2005 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2004 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2003 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2002 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2001 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2000 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1999 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1998 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1997 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1996 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1995 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1994 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1993 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1992 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1991 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1990 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1989 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1988 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1987 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1986 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1985 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1984 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1983 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1982 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1981 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1980 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1979 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1978 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1977 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1976 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1975 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1974 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1973 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1972 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1971 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1970 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1969 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1968 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1967 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1966 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1965 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1964 | Less than 3 | - |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.