Neale
A male given name transferred from the surname.
Every Neale since 1916 — 920 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Neale
Neale is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1916, 920 American babies have been named Neale. Its peak came in 1937, when 28 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1930s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Neale stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Neale year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — | 5 | #13,631 |
| 2011 | — | — | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — | 12 | #3,734 |
| 1980 | — | — | 7 | #5,329 |
| 1975 | — | — | 5 | #6,038 |
| 1970 | — | — | 6 | #4,571 |
| 1965 | 5 | #7,218 | 6 | #3,808 |
| 1960 | — | — | 15 | #2,178 |
| 1955 | — | — | 10 | #2,705 |
| 1950 | — | — | 14 | #2,089 |
| 1945 | — | — | 17 | #1,680 |
| 1940 | — | — | 13 | #2,056 |
| 1935 | — | — | 16 | #1,811 |
| 1930 | — | — | 21 | #1,638 |
| 1925 | — | — | 22 | #1,662 |
| 1920 | — | — | 17 | #2,025 |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Neale
- Neale Donald Walsch Writer · b. 1943
- Neale Fraser Tennis player · b. 1933
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Neale mean?
A male given name transferred from the surname.
How popular is the name Neale in 2025?
Neale did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Neale?
920 babies have been named Neale in the United States since 1916, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Neale most popular?
Neale peaked in 1937, when 28 newborns received the name.
Is Neale a boy or girl name?
Neale is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Neale rising or falling?
Neale has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Neale?
Well-known people named Neale include Neale Donald Walsch (writer), Neale Fraser (tennis player).