At a Glance: Name: Shoal – Meaning: a shallow area of water – Origin: Old English ('shallow'); the 'group of fish' sense is a separate word from Dutch – Gender: Unisex – Pronunciation: SHOHL
Shoal is an Old English ('shallow'); the 'group of fish' sense is a separate word from Dutch unisex name meaning “a shallow area of water”. It appears in 2 of our baby name lists.
Meaning & Origin of Shoal
Meaning: A shallow area of water.
Origin: Old English ('shallow'); the 'group of fish' sense is a separate word from Dutch.
A common claim: Often treated as a single word meaning both 'a shallow area of water' and 'a group of fish.' Actually: These are actually two unrelated words that happen to share a spelling — the 'shallow water' sense comes from Old English, while the 'group of fish' sense is a separate word related to 'school,' borrowed from Dutch.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Shoal
Phonetic: SHOHL IPA: /ʃoʊl/
Popularity of Shoal
Shoal doesn’t appear in U.S. Social Security birth records, which include every name given to at least five babies in a year — so it’s rare in the U.S.
Lists That Include Shoal
- 175+ New England Baby Names With Preppy Coastal Class
- 175+ Coastal Baby Names for Sea-Loving Families
Similar Names
Augusta · Beatrice · Hawthorn · Louisa · Harriet · Briar
