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.

The form Randal has also been used as an Anglicisation of an etymologically unrelated Irish and Scottish Gaelic name, Raghnall.

[2] The Norman personal names Randulf and Randolf are ultimately derived from the Old Norse Rannúlfr,[3][5] when the short form Randr (Old Danish Rand) is probably the first part of Norman toponyms such as Randal (Manche, le Vrétot, maybe from *Randdalr, a compound with dalr "valley", same as Randale, hamlet in England), Rantot (Manche, farm at Digulleville maybe from *Randtopt with topt > -tot "toft") and Ranville.

[3] 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.

[9] Randal is also used as an Anglicised form of the Irish and Scottish Gaelic Raghnall (to which it is etymologically unrelated).

Although Randal is generally Gaelicised as Raghnall in Ireland (and sometimes Rághnall),[10] the Irish Rannulbh more accurately represents Randulph and Randulf.

[15] 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;[15] 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.

[19] Since 1906, Randall has been among the top 1,000 names recorded in Social Security card applications for baby boys in the United States.

[20] Randall currently is, and historically has been more popular in the United States than the various other forms of the name.