Niall

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Boy · Old Irish

Niall

Say it: NEE-ul

Try it with your surname

Meaning

Uncertain; 'champion' and 'cloud' are popular glosses without firm support.

Disputedsharp disagreement, or a popular meaning that is not supported.

Its wave through time

Popular now

In the United States

1,634 babies given this name since 1955
At its height in 2018, about 1 in 19,100 boys
65 babies in 2020

Through the ages

Used by

The family of the name

English	Neil
Old Norse	Njáll

Famous bearers

Niall Noígíallach (of the Nine Hostages), legendary king

Names worth a look

CillianBoyUncertain; often explained as 'little church' (cell), or linked to ceall 'strife'; neither is secure.Early Medieval · peak 2020

CiaránBoyFrom Old Irish ciar 'dark, black, brown' with the diminutive -án.Early Medieval · peak 2014

ConanBoyUncertain; often linked to Celtic kuno- 'hound, wolf' or 'high'.Early Medieval · peak 2020 · forgotten

ColmánBoyDiminutive of Colm: 'little dove'.Early Medieval · forgotten

ConallBoyFrom Celtic kuno- 'hound, wolf' and walos 'ruler'.Early Medieval

ColmBoyFrom Latin columba 'dove', through Old Irish Colum.Early Medieval

NellieGirlA pet form of Helen, Eleanor or Ellen. Helen, from Greek Helene, whose origin is unknown; the popular link to Greek…Victorian · peak 1889

NolanBoyFrom the Irish surname Ó Nualláin 'descendant of Nuallán', a personal name possibly from nuall 'shout, noble'; the…Modern · peak 2018

Where this comes from

The Irish annals and early Irish literature
United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source

Meanings and histories are compiled from the study of names and their languages and checked by a second review.

Meanings and histories are drawn from the study of names and their languages, each with a confidence rating; popularity figures come from official birth records. Name histories are a living field: if you know of a correction, we would be glad to hear it.