Given name & surname · also Gaelic
Neil
“the champion”
Neil is used as a given name and a surname. One interpretation is “the champion.” Its derivation is not certain.
Meaning & origin
What it means
One interpretation is “the champion.” Its derivation is not certain.
How it developed
This form developed as an English adaptation of a name used in another language.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Neil through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 105,254
- 104,869 boys · 385 girls
- Most popular year
- 1954
- 1,964 babies
- 2025
- 288
- #851 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −23%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 288 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 851 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 22.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 1,959 in 1954. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (37). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 81,118 as a first name in 2020; 9,424 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Neil’s family of names
Neil has an affectionate form in Neillie. In English usage, Neil developed from the Irish form Niall. Neil has a related form in Neal.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Neil has relatives in 10 languages. Lines run from its Irish roots to each of them.
Irishwhere Neil comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 19
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 16
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Neil
- Neil ArmstrongAmerican astronaut and lunar explorer (1930–2012)
- Neil GaimanEnglish writer (born 1960)
- Neil deGrasse TysonAmerican astrophysicist and science communicatorborn 1958
- Neil YoungCanadian singer, songwriter and filmmaker (born 1945)
- Neil Patrick HarrisAmerican actor (born 1973)
- Neil DiamondAmerican recording artist; singer-songwriterborn 1941
- Neil SimonAmerican playwright, writer, and academic (1927–2018)
- Neil PostmanAmerican writer and academic (1931-2003)
- Neil TaylorWelsh association football player (born 1989)
Characters named Neil: Neil Winters (the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Neil, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kevin
“a beloved and handsome man”
>99% boys
Barry
“a fair-haired man”
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Gregor
“watchful” · “one who is vigilant; watch-”
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Brian
“noble” · “of noble birth”
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Sorley
“of the summer vikings”
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Conchúr
“hound” · “desiring”
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Colmán
“dove”
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Cadwaladr
“battle” · “lord”
>99% boys