ETYM Latin natalis, from natus, p. p. of nasci to be born: cf. French natal. Related to Nation, Noel.
Pertaining to birth; native; pertaining to nates.
Relating to or accompanying birth.

1. A port in northeastern Brazil.
2. A region of eastern South Africa on the Indian Ocean.
(Brazil) Industrial seaport (textiles, salt refining) in Brazil on the Potengi river, capital of the state of Rio Grande do Norte; Natal was founded 1599 and became a city 1822.(South Africa) Former province of South Africa to 1994, bounded on the east by the Indian Ocean. In 1994 it became part of KwaZulu Natal Province.
Called Natal (“of [Christ’s] birth”) because Vasco da Gama reached it on Christmas Day 1497, the region was part of the British Cape Colony 1843–1856, when it was made into a separate colony.
Zululand was annexed to Natal 1897, and the districts of Vrijheid, Utrecht, and part of Wakkerstroom were transferred from the Transvaal to Natal 1903; the colony became a part of the Union of South Africa 1910. In 1993 nearly 2,000 people were killed in political violence in Natal, compared with 1,300 people in 1992 and just under 1,000 in 1991. A state of emergency was imposed in Natal in the run-up to the first multiracial elections 1994, after escalating violence by the Zulu-based Inkatha party threatened to the derail the election process.