Fidel

♂ Boy

Pronounced fee-THEHL /fi.ˈðel/Medium

Meaning: FaithfulMedium

In 30 seconds: Fidel is a Latin name meaning 'faithful'. It comes from the same root that gives us words for loyalty and fidelity.

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Origin MediumLatin, Spanish

MeaningFaithful

U.S. rank (2025)#1875 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births84 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2001

Total births (all-time)≈ 11,319

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Drawn from Latin, Fidel carries the straightforward sense of 'faithful'. It connects to the longer form Fidelis and to the Italian Fedele, both built on the same idea of loyalty. The accented spellings Fidél and Fidèl show how it travels across languages.

Its best-known modern bearer is the Cuban leader Fidel Castro (1926–2016). The West Indian cricketer Fidel Edwards (born 1982) carries it too, showing its reach beyond Latin-speaking countries.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Fidel is 'faithful', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Fidel — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

FidélFidèlFidelisFedele

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Fidel Castro (1926–2016)
Male public figure listed on Behind the Name.
★Fidel Edwards (1982–present)
Male public figure listed on Behind the Name.

If you like Fidel…

Yariel— shares Fidel's Spanish roots

Yasiel— lands in the same popularity range

Manuel— another Spanish name

Noel— a fellow Latin choice

Marcel— another Latin name

Explore names like Fidel

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Fidel mean?

Fidel is usually explained as meaning 'faithful' and is most often linked with Latin tradition.

How do you pronounce Fidel?

It's commonly said fee-THEHL /fi.ˈðel/.

Is Fidel a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Fidel is used as a boy name.

How popular is Fidel?

In 2024, Fidel ranked #1937 in the U.S. for boys, with 81 births recorded.