Randall (given name)
Randall is a masculine given name in English and German. Its modern use as a given name originates from the transferred use of the English-language surname Randall, which in turn is derived from Randolph.
There are several variant spellings of the English given name; these include Randal, Randel, Randell, Randle, and Rendell. The pet form is Randy. The form Randal has also used as an Anglicisation of an etymologically unrelated Irish and Scottish Gaelic name Raghnall. This Anglicisation has been noted as being particularly common amongst several Irish families of note. Randal has not been among the 1,000 most popular masculine baby names in the United States since 1994, and Randall has been among the top 1,000 names since 1906. According to US Census data, in 1990 both names were among the top 500 most popular masculine names in the country. Neither name is currently among the 100 most popular masculine baby names in either the United Kingdom nor the Republic of Ireland.
Etymology and early history
The modern given name Randall,, is derived from the transferred use of the surname Randall. There have been two explanations for the origin of this surname. One explanation is that the surname is derived from the Middle English personal name Randel. This name is a diminutive of the mediaeval personal name Rand compounded with the Anglo Norman hypocoristic suffix -el. The Middle English Rand can be a short form of any of several names composed of the first element rand, meaning "shield" or "rim"; or the Old Norse short first name Randr, however the specific names associated with Randel are Randulf and Randolf—names that were brought to England by the Normans. Another explanation for the surname Randall, is that it is merely an apocopal form, or mediaeval vernacular form of Randolf.The Norman personal names Randulf and Randolf are ultimately derived from the Old Norse Rannúlfr, when the short form Randr is probably the first part of Norman toponyms such as Randal, Rantot and Ranville. In fact, Rannúlfr was introduced into England by Scandinavians well before the arrival of the Norman name, and because of the introduction of the form used by the Normans, both names were reinforced in England. The Old Norse Rannúlfr is composed of two elements—the first element is rand, meaning "shield" or "rim"; the second element is úlfr, meaning "wolf". The Old English form of these names is Randwulf. Other cognates include: the Old Low German Randwulf, Randulf; and the Old Norse Röndúlfr.
There are several early occurrences in British sources of the names that gave rise to the modern given name Randall. An early occurrence of the modern surname is: Richard Randall, in 1547. A mediaeval occurrence of the surname is: Thomas Randel, in 1250. An early occurrence of the short form Rand is: Rande de Borham, in 1299. An early occurrence of Randel is: Randal, in 1204. An early occurrence of the mediaeval personal names Randolf, Randulf is: Randulfus, in about 1095 ; another is: Nicolaus filius Randulphi, in the years spanning 1175-86.
According to etymologist P. H. Reaney, the mediaeval name Randulf was commonly confused with Old German Rannulf. This Old German name is composed of elements meaning "raven" and "wolf", and was introduced into England around the same time as Randulf. One example where the unrelated names were confused and given to the same individual in different records is: Randolphus de Brachenberch, in about 1155; and Ranulfus de Brachinberge, in 1160-6.
Variant forms and pet forms
Variant spellings of the given name Randall include: Randal, Randel, Randell, Randle, and Rendell. Randal is also used as an Anglicised form of the Irish and Scottish Gaelic Raghnall. Although Randal is generally Gaelicised as Raghnall in Ireland, the Irish Rannulbh more accurately represents Randulph and Randulf. A pet form of Randall is Randy; this name is, and is also a pet form of several other etymologically related, and unrelated names.Use and popularity
In Scotland, the name Randal has been associated with Lord Randal, an Anglo-Scottish border ballad, published by American Francis James Child in 1882. In parts of Ireland in the 19th and early 20th century, the name Randal has been noted being used particularly by families of the surname MacDonnell. There are several notable Irish families, historically unrelated to each other, who bear this surname. The chiefly line of one such family relocated to the Glens of Antrim from Scotland in the 16th and 17th centuries, and Randal appears numerous times in their pedigree; this family descends from members of the Scottish Clan Donald; and even today, various Anglicised forms of the Gaelic Raghnall are commonly used by members of this clan. Randal was noted in the early 20th century as being common within the O'Donovan family as well; their name, like that of Clan Donald, originated as an Anglicised form of the etymologically unrelated Raghnall.Since 1906, Randall has been among the top 1,000 names recorded in Social Security card applications for baby boys in the United States. The name was at its most popular point in 1955, when it was ranked the 53rd most popular masculine baby name. Currently, the name was ranked 749th for the year 2009. Randall currently is, and historically has been more popular in the United States than the various other forms of the name. For example, since 1995, Randal has not been among the top 1,000 names recorded in for baby boys. This name first ranked within the top 1,000 boys names in 1938, and it stayed among the top 1,000 names until 1994; the name was at its most popular point in 1958, when it was ranked 189th. According to data released by the Social Security Administration, the forms Randell, Randel, and Randle have never been nearly as popular. In 1990, the United States Census Bureau undertook a study of the 1990 United States Census, and released a sample of data concerning the most popular names. According to this sample of 6.3 million people, Randal was ranked as the 477th most popular masculine name, and Randall was ranked 139th most popular. Neither name ranked among females in this sample.
Neither Randal or Randall ranked within the top 100 masculine baby names for the year 2009 in England and Wales; similarly so for Scotland. In both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, neither name ranked within the top 100 masculine names of registered births in 2009.
Popularity graphs
List of people with the given names
Randal
- Alexander Randal Mark McDonnellborn 1935, Ninth Earl of Antrim, in the Peerage of Ireland.
- Randal BaysMusician.
- Randal Beresford,died 1681Second Beresford of Coleraine baronet, in the Baronetage of Ireland.
- Randal E. Bryant, Dean of School of Computer Science, at Carnegie Mellon University.
- Randal Edwards, born 1984CanadaActor.
- Randal Forbes Elliott1922-2010New ZealandNoted eye surgeon and campaigner of safety glass.
- Randal Haworth
- Randal Hill,born 1969, United StatesProfessional American football player in the NFL.
- Randal Hollenbach, 1958, United States Air Force veteran and veterans advocate. Pennsylvania.
- Randal Kleiser,born 1946,United States,Film director.
- Randal J. Kirkborn c.1954United States, Billionaire businessman.
- Randal MacDonnell,died 1636First Earl of Antrim, in the Peerage of Ireland.
- Randal MacDonnell,1609-1683Second Earl of Antrim, and first Marquess of Antrim, in the Peerage of Ireland.
- Randal MacDonnell1680-1721Fourth Earl of Antrim in the Peerage of Ireland.
- Randal Robert Alexander Marlin,Adjunct Professor at Carleton University.
- Randal McLelland,born 1985,United StatesAmerican Olympic athlete at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
- Randal O'Toole, Cato Institute Senior Fellow, and author.
- Randal Keith Orton,born 1980,United States,Professional wrestler
- Randal Pinkettborn 1971United StatesContestant on an American reality television show.
- Randal Edward Sherborne Plunkett1848-1883, Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom.
- Randal Arthur Henry Plunkett1906-1999,Nineteenth Baron of Dunsany, in the Peerage of Ireland.
- Randal Howard Paul,born 1963United States,Politician
- Randal Smith1898-1968,Second Baron Bicester, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.
- Randal Williams,born 1978United States,Professional American football player in the NFL.
- Randal R. Wisbey, President of La Sierra University.
- Randal Woollatt, English cricketer
- William Randal Cremer1828-1908,Recipient of the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1903.
- William Randal McDonnell,1851-1918 Sixth Earl of Antrim, in the Peerage of Ireland.
Randall
- Randall Dale Adams,, wrongly convicted of murder and sentenced to death
- Randall Amster,, American, author
- Randall Azofeifa,, Costa Rican, football player
- Randall B. Griepp, American, cardiothoracic surgeon
- Randall B. Kester,, American, attorney and judge
- Randall Bailey,, American, boxer
- Randall Bal,
- Randall Balmer,, American, author
- Randall Bass, American, scholar
- Randall James Bayer,
- Randall Batinkoff,, American, actor
- Randall Beer, American, scholar
- Randall C. Berg, Jr., American, Executive Director of the Florida Justice Institute
- Randall Bewley,, guitarist
- Randall Boe,, General Counsel for AOL
- Randall Bone,, Australian rules footballer
- Randall Bramblett, American, musician and singer-songwriter
- Randall Brenes,, Costa Rican, professional football player
- Randall Burks,, American, American football player
- Randall Carroll,, American, American football player
- Randall Cobb - several people
- *Randall Cobb,, American, American football player
- *Randall "Tex" Cobb,, American, boxer and actor
- Randall Collins,, American, academic
- Randall Crane, academic
- Randall Cunningham,, American, American football player
- Randall David Shughart,, American, soldier killed in action in Somalia
- Randall Davidson, 1st Baron Davidson of Lambeth,, British, Anglican clergyman, Archbishop of Canterbury
- Randall Dodd, founder and director of Financial Policy Forum
- Randall Dougherty,, mathematician
- Randall Duell,, American, architect and art director
- Randall Duk Kim,, American, actor
- Randall Edwards - several people
- *Randall Edwards,, American, actor
- *Randall Edwards,, American, politician
- Randall Einhorn,, American, television director and cinematographer
- Randall Faye,, American, screenwriter, film producer and director
- Randall Craig Fleischer, American, conductor
- Randall Forsberg,, American, anti-war activist
- Randall M. Fort,, American, member of the Intelligence and Research in the United States Department
- Randall Frakes, author
- Randall Franks, American actor, singer and musician
- Randall Garrett,, American, author
- Randall Garrison, Canadian politician
- Randall Gay,, American, American football player
- Randall George Lewis MacAlister, Anglican priest
- Randall L. Gibson,
- Randall Giles,, American, music composer
- Randall Godfrey,, American, American football player
- Randall Goff,
- Randall Goforth, American football player
- Randall Gregory Holcombe, American, academic
- Randall S. Harmon,, American, politician
- Randall G. Hassell, karate instructor
- Randall Hodgkinson, American, musician
- Randall Hunley, American, musician
- Randall Hyde,, American, author
- Randall Jahnson, American, writer, director, and producer
- Randall Jarrell,, American, author
- Randall Kenan,, American, author
- Randall Kennedy,, American, academic and author
- Randall C. Kennedy, computer specialist
- Randall Kleck, American, martial artist
- Randall Kroszner,, member of the Federal Reserve
- Randall Luthi,, American, attorney
- Randall Maggs, Canadian, poet
- Randall Mann, American, poet
- Randall McDaniel,, American, professional American football player
- Randall Miller, American, film director
- Randall Munroe,, American, webcomic author
- Randall Nieman, musician
- Randall C. O'Reilly,, academic
- Randall Packer,, American, contemporary multimedia artist
- Randall Park, American, comedian and actor
- Randall Parrish,, American, author
- Randall Pinkston,, correspondent for CBS News
- Randall Ray Rader,, American, Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- Randall "Randy" Roach, American mayor
- Randall Robinson,, American, lawyer, author, and activist
- Randall Robinson,, American, cinematographer
- Randall Rollins, American businessman.
- Randall Rothenberg, business executive
- Randall Row,, Costa Rican, footballer
- Randall Schmidt, American, Lieutenant General in the United States Air Force
- Randall Schweller, American, academic
- Randall Silvis, American, author
- Randall Simon,, professional baseball player
- Randall Smith - several people
- *Randall Smith,, Canadian, musician
- *Randall Lee Smith,, American, convicted murderer
- Randall W. Spetman,, American, athletic director at Florida State University
- Randall J. Stephens, author
- Randall L. Stephenson,, American, business executive
- Randall S. Street,, American, lawyer and politician
- Randall J. Strossen,, strength training writer
- Randall Stout, American, architect
- Randall Svane,, American, composer
- Randall Swingler,, English, poet, also awarded the Military Medal in the Second World War
- Randall T. Shepard,, Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court
- Randall Terry,, American, pro-life activist
- Randall L. Tobias,, American, business executive
- Randall Thompson - several people
- *Randall Thompson,, American, composer
- *Randall Thompson
- Randall Tolson,, American, clockmaker
- Randall Wallace,, American, screenwriter, director, producer
- Randall Weber,, Canadian, ice hockey player
- Randall Wells,, English, architect
- Randall Wiebe, Canadian playwright
- Randall Winston, television producer and director
- Randall Woodfield,, American, serial killer dubbed The I-5 Killer or The I-5 Bandit
- Randall Woolf, American, composer
- Randall Zindler, American, business executive
- Randall Zisk, American, television director and producer
- Randall Zwinge, American stage magician and scientific skeptic
Randell
- Randell Kirsch, officer in the United States Army.