Hal is an unconventional yet memorable name of Nordic origin, derived from the Old Norse word 'halr', which means 'hale' or 'healthy'. It was popularized by the science fiction novel "2001: A Space Odyssey" by Arthur C. Clarke, in which Hal, a sentient computer, plays a significant role. This name is often associated with intelligence and innovation due to its connection to artificial intelligence in the aforementioned novel.
"Hal was quite popular in 1924 and 1926, with six babies each year."