| Cathal | Lir | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Strong in battle | Sea |
| Origin | Irish | irish |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | KAH-hal | LEER |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1998 | 0 |
| Peak year | 2000 (10) | 2023 (8) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Trend | Declining | Steady |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Cathal | Lir |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 0 | 19 |
| 2010s | 5 | 5 |
| 2000s | 29 | 0 |
| 1990s | 6 | 0 |
Cathal joins the Irish words for “battle” and “rule,” “strong in battle.”
Lir (also Ler) is a sea deity in Irish mythology, father of the Children of Lir; the name is connected to an old Irish word for 'sea'. The cognate Welsh figure is Llyr.
Cathal and Lir are given to a similar number of US babies today.
Cathal means Strong in battle (Irish origin), while Lir means Sea (irish origin).
In US records, Cathal first appears in 1998 and Lir in 0, so Lir has the longer recorded history.