Neil

Neil - A very unique male name

Neil appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #519. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Neil and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Neil? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Neil. The baby boy name Neil was given to 250 baby boys in 2025, ranking #828 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 5,865 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Neil peaked in popularity 73 years ago in 1953 on position 146.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Neil, 1-5?

Neil is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Neil is currently topping the baby name charts in New Jersey at position #462 - and is the least popular in Florida at position #1,582.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Neil is where you live.

---

Comment and discuss

---

Neil origin and meaning

Irish and Scottish Gaelic

From Gaelic Niall; its meaning is disputed — 'champion' is the most common claim, but links to 'cloud' and 'passion' are also argued, and none is proven

Neil is the anglicised form of Niall, the name of Irish high kings including Niall of the Nine Hostages. Whatever Niall originally meant has been argued for a century without settlement. In the US, Neil peaked in 1954 and has been declining gently, kept vivid by Armstrong, Young and others.

Origin uncertain

Neil is a 4 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Neil, pop culture references for the name Neil and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Neil

We've found the following names that sound similar to Neil, sorted by popularity.

Neal / Noel / Neel / Nile / Nael / Niall / Newell / Nyle / Nihal / Nayel /

---

Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Neil

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Neil a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Neil?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

---

Pronunciation

NEEL · /niːl/

Around the world

• Niall (Irish) — The original Gaelic form

Spellings and nicknames

• Neal — The other main spelling, a separate established name
• Niall — The Gaelic form, a separate established name

Famous bearers

• Neil Armstrong — American astronaut, the first person to walk on the Moon (1930–2012) Contemporary
• Neil Young — Canadian-American singer and songwriter (b. 1945) Contemporary
• Neil Patrick Harris — American actor known for How I Met Your Mother (b. 1973) Contemporary

Style

ClassicInternational

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Neil for plain, brainy classicism — one syllable, kings and astronauts behind it, and no nickname needed.

Worth knowing

• Neal is an equally established spelling, so the i/e choice needs stating