English speakers borrowed the word noel from French. It can be traced further back to the Latin word natalis, which can mean "birthday" as a noun or "of or relating to birth" as an adjective.

Dec 8, 2025 · “Noel” is a word often sung at Christmas that means “birth” or “birthday,” especially the birth of Christ. It comes from the Latin natalis and French noël, referring to the celebration of Jesus’ …

Nov 25, 2024 · We've been singing it all season long, but what are we talking about? Find out what the word "noel" means and how to use it appropriately during the holidays.

Dec 11, 2025 · Inherited from Middle French Noël, from Old French Noel, Naël, inherited from Vulgar Latin *notālis, from Latin nātālis [diēs Dominī] (“birthday of the Lord”) with dissimilation of the first -a- …

The First Noel "The First Nowell" in Carols, New and Old (1879) 1 0:00 " The First Nowell " (or Nowel), [1] modernised as " The First Noel " [2] (or Noël), is a traditional English Christmas carol with Cornish …

Dec 5, 2024 · “Noel” comes from the same root words from Latin, natus, where we get the nativity, meaning “birth". Early Christians used it to refer specifically to the birth of Christ, often in the phrase …

Aug 5, 2025 · You are probably familiar with the Christmas carol, 'The First Noel,' but do you know what 'Noel' means? We'll go over its meaning and origin.

Nov 13, 2025 · The basic meaning of Noel is “birth,” a reference to the birth of Jesus Christ. Noel has been used historically as both a representation of Christmas itself and as an element in Christmas …

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Signifying the holiday season, Noël comes from the Latin verb nasci, meaning “to be born.” A variation of this word, nael, made its way into Old French.