Irish origin
Source-reportedVariant spelling of Neil, anglicised form of Goidelic/Irish Niall.
Sources for this account (1)
- Wiktionary: NeillCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
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A name. A world of connections.
Irish roots
No sourced pronunciation yet
01 / Meaning & origin
Neill is a masculine given name documented in English. English Wiktionary traces it to Irish Niall.
Variant spelling of Neil, anglicised form of Goidelic/Irish Niall.
02 / Across borders
Explore published naming statistics and documented language connections around the world.
The name atlas
11
countries in our sources
Select a country to follow Neill’s connections around the world.
6 countries with published statistics. Language records show cultural connections; they do not measure how common a name is.
Selected country
Statistics + language records
United States, 2021: 7 boys (rank 9714). Documented as a given name in English.
Explore United States4 of 11 countries
03 / By the numbers
Follow the spelling through the years, one published dataset at a time.
1880–2025 Spelling: Neill
Recorded category boys
Hover to explore a year. Use arrow keys when a chart point has focus.
Source: US Social Security Administration; redistributed by nkrishnaswami · SSA national baby names, 1880–2025 (CC0 redistribution)
Integer application counts retained without rounding.
Per million is unavailable: this source has no matching published total.
| Year | Applications | Rank | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1881 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1882 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1883 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1884 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1885 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1886 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1887 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1888 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1889 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1890 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1891 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1892 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1893 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1894 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1895 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1896 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1897 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1898 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1899 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1900 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1901 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1902 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1903 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1904 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1905 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1906 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1907 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1908 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1909 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1910 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1911 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 1912 | 6 | 2,269 | observed |
| 1913 | 12 | 1,580 | observed |
| 1914 | 11 | 1,975 | observed |
| 1915 | 14 | 1,968 | observed |
| 1916 | 12 | 2,259 | observed |
| 1917 | 12 | 2,280 | observed |
| 1918 | 18 | 1,827 | observed |
| 1919 | 18 | 1,811 | observed |
| 1920 | 14 | 2,231 | observed |
| 1921 | 17 | 1,980 | observed |
| 1922 | 12 | 2,486 | observed |
| 1923 | 15 | 2,123 | observed |
| 1924 | 15 | 2,132 | observed |
| 1925 | 20 | 1,745 | observed |
| 1926 | 21 | 1,661 | observed |
| 1927 | 14 | 2,193 | observed |
| 1928 | 17 | 1,902 | observed |
| 1929 | 19 | 1,731 | observed |
| 1930 | 12 | 2,293 | observed |
| 1931 | 19 | 1,643 | observed |
| 1932 | 11 | 2,313 | observed |
| 1933 | 16 | 1,770 | observed |
| 1934 | 17 | 1,725 | observed |
| 1935 | 19 | 1,584 | observed |
| 1936 | 17 | 1,639 | observed |
| 1937 | 19 | 1,576 | observed |
| 1938 | 21 | 1,476 | observed |
| 1939 | 12 | 2,050 | observed |
| 1940 | 32 | 1,183 | observed |
| 1941 | 19 | 1,588 | observed |
| 1942 | 24 | 1,421 | observed |
| 1943 | 25 | 1,399 | observed |
| 1944 | 19 | 1,574 | observed |
| 1945 | 21 | 1,445 | observed |
| 1946 | 28 | 1,327 | observed |
| 1947 | 33 | 1,271 | observed |
| 1948 | 30 | 1,323 | observed |
| 1949 | 22 | 1,583 | observed |
| 1950 | 36 | 1,203 | observed |
| 1951 | 29 | 1,373 | observed |
| 1952 | 32 | 1,323 | observed |
| 1953 | 31 | 1,357 | observed |
| 1954 | 28 | 1,435 | observed |
| 1955 | 28 | 1,458 | observed |
| 1956 | 17 | 1,945 | observed |
| 1957 | 32 | 1,388 | observed |
| 1958 | 25 | 1,557 | observed |
| 1959 | 24 | 1,620 | observed |
| 1960 | 15 | 2,121 | observed |
| 1961 | 20 | 1,823 | observed |
| 1962 | 25 | 1,588 | observed |
| 1963 | 18 | 1,902 | observed |
| 1964 | 24 | 1,615 | observed |
| 1965 | 14 | 2,178 | observed |
| 1966 | 19 | 1,757 | observed |
| 1967 | 17 | 1,906 | observed |
| 1968 | 20 | 1,788 | observed |
| 1969 | 21 | 1,810 | observed |
| 1970 | 21 | 1,939 | observed |
| 1971 | 33 | 1,494 | observed |
| 1972 | 14 | 2,534 | observed |
| 1973 | 24 | 1,817 | observed |
| 1974 | 17 | 2,358 | observed |
| 1975 | 34 | 1,530 | observed |
| 1976 | 24 | 1,999 | observed |
| 1977 | 24 | 2,008 | observed |
| 1978 | 29 | 1,794 | observed |
| 1979 | 23 | 2,157 | observed |
| 1980 | 30 | 1,852 | observed |
| 1981 | 21 | 2,338 | observed |
| 1982 | 17 | 2,709 | observed |
| 1983 | 23 | 2,208 | observed |
| 1984 | 16 | 2,824 | observed |
| 1985 | 19 | 2,598 | observed |
| 1986 | 23 | 2,360 | observed |
| 1987 | 10 | 4,239 | observed |
| 1988 | 24 | 2,437 | observed |
| 1989 | 22 | 2,784 | observed |
| 1990 | 22 | 2,865 | observed |
| 1991 | 19 | 3,224 | observed |
| 1992 | 24 | 2,834 | observed |
| 1993 | 12 | 4,697 | observed |
| 1994 | 12 | 4,803 | observed |
| 1995 | 8 | 6,407 | observed |
| 1996 | 13 | 4,613 | observed |
| 1997 | 10 | 5,642 | observed |
| 1998 | 14 | 4,650 | observed |
| 1999 | 8 | 7,139 | observed |
| 2000 | 7 | 8,209 | observed |
| 2001 | 5 | 10,556 | observed |
| 2002 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 2003 | 6 | 9,581 | observed |
| 2004 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 2005 | 15 | 5,278 | observed |
| 2006 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 2007 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 2008 | 7 | 9,871 | observed |
| 2009 | 6 | 10,994 | observed |
| 2010 | 6 | 10,766 | observed |
| 2011 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 2012 | 7 | 9,709 | observed |
| 2013 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 2014 | 5 | 12,108 | observed |
| 2015 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 2016 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 2017 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 2018 | 7 | 9,670 | observed |
| 2019 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 2020 | 8 | 8,739 | observed |
| 2021 | 7 | 9,714 | observed |
| 2022 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 2023 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 2024 | no value | no value | not covered |
| 2025 | no value | no value | not covered |
Statistics count the spelling “Neill” as recorded by the publisher. When a spelling has several independent origins, the counts are not split between them. Counts measure applications. Gaps are years without a published value, not zeros.
Rates per million are unavailable for this series because no compatible denominator has been imported.
Retrieved 2026-10-15 · CC0-1.0
Read our methodology04 / Through time
Passages quoted verbatim from public-domain reference works. They reflect the scholarship of their time, not current consensus, and may use obsolete spellings.
NEILL— “champion”
Neill of the Nine Hostages, was one of the greatest of the ancient heroes; he was the last but one of the pagan kings of Ireland, and himself most unconsciously imported the seed of the Gospel, for it was his men who, in a piratical descent on the Roman colony of Valentia, carried off the boy who, in after days, was to become the Apostle of Ireland,—one of the many slaves by whom the Gospel has been extended. Neill of the Nine Hostages was killed by an assassin about the year…
Neill of the Nine Hostages, was one of the greatest of the ancient heroes; he was the last but one of the pagan kings of Ireland, and himself most unconsciously imported the seed of the Gospel, for it was his men who, in a piratical descent on the Roman colony of Valentia, carried off the boy who, in after days, was to become the Apostle of Ireland,—one of the many slaves by whom the Gospel has been extended. Neill of the Nine Hostages was killed by an assassin about the year 405; but his family, the Hy Neill, or children of Neill, became one of the leading septs in the North of Ireland. Of them the story is told, that on going to settle on the Ulster coast, one of them resolved to take seisin of the new country by touching the shore before any one else, and finding his boat outstripped, he tore out his dagger, cut off his right hand at the wist, and threw it on the beach, so that his fingers were the first laid on the domain. Such, at least, is the tale that accounts for the O'Neill’s war-cry, _Lamhdearg Aboo_ (Red hand set on), and for the red hand on the shield of the O'Neills and of Ulster, afterwards given by James I.…
Yonge, History of Christian Names (1884), Part V, Chapter III (Gaelic Names), Section I (Scottish Colonists) · Public domain (Project Gutenberg)
People recorded with this given name in Wikidata. Their names may use a different spelling, or include it as a middle or baptismal name.
South African film director, producer, screenwriter, and animator
A little story to keep
Take the story of Neill with you. Create a personal name passport with its meaning, roots and connections.
06 / Behind the facts
Review status: Source-reported — no editorial review recorded yet. Last data change 2026-10-15.
SSA national baby names, 1880–2025 (CC0 redistribution)
US Social Security Administration; redistributed by nkrishnaswami · CC0-1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Ireland — babies' first names with three or more occurrences, 1964–2025
Central Statistics Office (CSO), Ireland · CC-BY-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
South Australia — Popular Baby Names, per-year lists including names given once, 1944-2017
Attorney-General's Department, South Australia (via data.sa.gov.au) · CC-BY-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
National Records of Scotland — Babies' First Names: all first forenames given to 3 or more babies, Scotland, 1974-2025
National Records of Scotland (NRS) · OGL-UK-3.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Ontario top baby names, historical archive 1917–2013
Government of Ontario (Office of the Registrar General) · OGL-ON-1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Ontario first baby names, 1913–2023 (verified redistribution)
Government of Ontario; redistributed by helloharun · OGL-ON-1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Fichier des prénoms — édition 2026 (naissances 1900 à 2025), fichier national
Insee (Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques) · LO-2.0 · retrieved 2026-10-14
NISRA — First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland, 1997-2025 (full list)
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) · OGL-UK-3.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Wiktionary text: CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikidata: CC0. Commons recordings retain their individual file licences. Complete attribution is available in each group above and alongside each chart.
