Uel is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic 'Uille' meaning 'youthful'. It was traditionally used as a nickname for someone who was young at heart, full of vigor, or perhaps even mischievous. The name Uel reached its peak popularity in Scotland during the late 17th to early 18th centuries but has since become quite rare. Today, it is often mistaken for the more common names 'Uly' or 'Ollie', due to similarities in pronunciation.
The name Uel appears to have been relatively uncommon during this period, with fewer than ten births per year from 1915 to 1939. There was a slight peak in popularity between 1920 and 1923, with seven births each of those years, but it quickly declined thereafter. The name's total recorded births over these twenty-five years amounted to seventy-five.