Neill
Variant spelling of Neil, anglicised form of Goidelic/Irish Niall.
Every Neill since 1912 — 1,834 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Neill
Neill 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 1912, 1,834 American babies have been named Neill. Its peak came in 1950, when 36 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 Neill stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Neill year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | 7 | #10,469 |
| 2020 | 8 | #9,300 |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | 7 | #10,413 |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | 5 | #13,449 |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | 7 | #10,436 |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | 6 | #11,765 |
| 2009 | 6 | #12,029 |
| 2008 | 7 | #10,689 |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | 15 | #5,493 |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | 6 | #10,486 |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | 5 | #11,788 |
| 2000 | 7 | #8,847 |
| 1995 | 8 | #6,805 |
| 1990 | 22 | #2,928 |
| 1985 | 19 | #2,672 |
| 1980 | 30 | #1,895 |
| 1975 | 34 | #1,554 |
| 1970 | 21 | #1,972 |
| 1965 | 14 | #2,237 |
| 1960 | 15 | #2,179 |
| 1955 | 28 | #1,477 |
| 1950 | 36 | #1,215 |
| 1945 | 21 | #1,482 |
| 1940 | 32 | #1,200 |
| 1935 | 19 | #1,637 |
| 1930 | 12 | #2,406 |
| 1925 | 20 | #1,784 |
| 1920 | 14 | #2,305 |
| 1915 | 14 | #2,040 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Neill
- Neill Blomkamp Film director · b. 1979
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Neill mean?
Variant spelling of Neil, anglicised form of Goidelic/Irish Niall.
How popular is the name Neill in 2025?
Neill 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 Neill?
1,834 babies have been named Neill in the United States since 1912, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Neill most popular?
Neill peaked in 1950, when 36 newborns received the name.
Is Neill a boy or girl name?
Neill is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Neill rising or falling?
Neill is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Neill?
Well-known people named Neill include Neill Blomkamp (film director).