Donel is of Irish origin, derived from the ancient Gaelic word 'donull', which means 'dark-headed'. It is composed of two elements: 'don' meaning 'brown' or 'dark', and 'ull' referring to 'prowess' or 'champion'. This name was borne by several early Irish saints, including Donel of Lismore. Historically, it has been spelled in various ways such as Dunel, Dunall, or Dunill. Today, while not among the most common names, Donel is still used and carries a unique and distinctive ring.
Over a span of nearly a century (1916-2014), the name Donel experienced varying popularity with a total of 691 births recorded. The years 1937 and 1970 saw the highest numbers of babies named Donel, with 15 and 18 births respectively. Conversely, there were several years with only five or fewer births.