Neil
Anglicized form of Goidelic/Irish Niall.
Every Neil since 1880 — 105,254 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Neil
Neil is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #851 in 2025 with 288 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 105,254 American babies have been named Neil. Its peak came in 1954, when 1,964 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
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 Neil stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Neil 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 | — | — | 288 | #851 |
| 2024 | — | — | 280 | #865 |
| 2023 | — | — | 305 | #806 |
| 2022 | — | — | 330 | #766 |
| 2021 | — | — | 360 | #719 |
| 2020 | — | — | 324 | #751 |
| 2019 | — | — | 422 | #639 |
| 2018 | — | — | 427 | #625 |
| 2017 | — | — | 422 | #618 |
| 2016 | — | — | 425 | #629 |
| 2015 | — | — | 414 | #641 |
| 2014 | — | — | 397 | #656 |
| 2013 | — | — | 394 | #624 |
| 2012 | — | — | 391 | #622 |
| 2011 | — | — | 358 | #660 |
| 2010 | — | — | 342 | #687 |
| 2009 | — | — | 396 | #632 |
| 2008 | — | — | 327 | #713 |
| 2007 | — | — | 305 | #741 |
| 2006 | — | — | 398 | #605 |
| 2005 | — | — | 380 | #595 |
| 2004 | — | — | 338 | #626 |
| 2003 | — | — | 384 | #575 |
| 2002 | — | — | 381 | #574 |
| 2001 | — | — | 443 | #512 |
| 2000 | — | — | 462 | #495 |
| 1995 | — | — | 678 | #357 |
| 1990 | 5 | #14,515 | 1,028 | #261 |
| 1985 | 11 | #6,321 | 1,206 | #202 |
| 1980 | 12 | #5,793 | 1,348 | #181 |
| 1975 | 11 | #5,403 | 1,331 | #174 |
| 1970 | 14 | #4,185 | 1,567 | #178 |
| 1965 | — | — | 1,321 | #192 |
| 1960 | — | — | 1,446 | #199 |
| 1955 | 5 | #6,456 | 1,785 | #159 |
| 1950 | — | — | 1,609 | #156 |
| 1945 | 5 | #5,050 | 1,210 | #157 |
| 1940 | — | — | 1,067 | #156 |
| 1935 | — | — | 858 | #167 |
| 1930 | 7 | #3,940 | 827 | #175 |
| 1925 | 5 | #5,553 | 563 | #234 |
| 1920 | 8 | #3,857 | 489 | #247 |
| 1915 | — | — | 289 | #297 |
| 1910 | — | — | 54 | #343 |
| 1905 | — | — | 42 | #313 |
| 1900 | — | — | 50 | #292 |
| 1895 | — | — | 31 | #336 |
| 1890 | — | — | 29 | #324 |
| 1885 | — | — | 26 | #341 |
| 1880 | — | — | 24 | #354 |
Famous people named Neil
- Neil Armstrong Astronaut · 1930–2012
- Neil deGrasse Tyson Astronomer · b. 1958
- Neil Young Musician · b. 1945
- Neil Diamond Singer · b. 1941
- Neil Patrick Harris Actor · b. 1973
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Neil mean?
Anglicized form of Goidelic/Irish Niall.
How popular is the name Neil in 2025?
Neil ranked #851 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 288 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Neil?
105,254 babies have been named Neil in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Neil most popular?
Neil peaked in 1954, when 1,964 newborns received the name.
Is Neil a boy or girl name?
Neil is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Neil rising or falling?
Neil is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Neil?
Well-known people named Neil include Neil Armstrong (astronaut), Neil deGrasse Tyson (astronomer), Neil Young (musician).