Boy · Irish · International
Nolan
NolanSay it NOH-lun
- Meaning today
- Champion, noble, famous
- Original meaning
- "from Ó Nualláin; Irish nuall, "a loud noise, clamour, cry"" Ó Dónaill
- Say it
- NOH-lun
- Other spellings
- Nolen
Nolan
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Nolan meaning
Nolan is an international boy's name of Irish origin.
Meaning today
Champion, noble, famous
Original Irish meaning
"from Ó Nualláin; Irish nuall, "a loud noise, clamour, cry""
Source: Ó Dónaill, Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla (1977), via teanglann.ie · entry nuall · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
Nolan is the anglicised form of the Irish surname Ó Nualláin, 'descendant of Nuallán', a family long associated with County Carlow. Nuallán is a diminutive of nuall, which Ó Dónaill's Irish dictionary gives as a loud noise, a clamour or a cry, and which the historical dictionary eDIL links with úall, 'cry, wail'. Baby-name lists usually give 'champion', 'noble' or 'famous'. We could not find those senses in the Irish dictionaries, so they appear to be popular readings. The surname became a first name in the United States. Well-known bearers of the surname include the film-maker Christopher Nolan. It is said NOH-lun.
References: Ó Dónaill, nuall · eDIL, print edition (úall, núall) · Wikipedia, Nolan (surname)
Popularity abroad
- #65 United States, boys 2025 (down 1 from 64 in 2024)
US Social Security Administration - #283 England and Wales, boys 2025
Office for National Statistics
Official birth registrations. India publishes no national name statistics.
Spellings
Nolan · Nolen