Niall
Boy · NY-al · Irish
Big in ScotlandBig in Northern Ireland
Niall is a boys' name of Irish origin. In 2025 it ranked 573rd for boys in the UK (74 babies) and 1,699th for boys in the US (96 babies).
What does Niall mean?
Irish: meaning disputed
Niall of the Nine Hostages was a legendary High King of Ireland, ancestor of the Ui Neill dynasties.
- Say it
- NY-al
More on Wiktionary.
Is Niall a girl's or a boy's name?
Niall is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 74 boys in the UK and 96 boys in the US. Too few girls were given it to be listed.
How popular is Niall in the UK?
- Rank in 2025
- #573among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 74about 1 in 4,100 boys
- Five-year trend
- Fallingdown 42% in five years
- Same name in a class
- under 1%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 74 boys in the UK were named Niall, making it the 573rd most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 357th. Its busiest year was 1999, with 568 boys.
2025 had the fewest boys named Niall since the records began in 1996.
Half of all the boys named Niall in the UK since 1996 were born between 1999 and 2012. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.
In 2025, 119 boys in the UK were given Niall or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #393, up from #573 for this spelling alone.
Among boys in 2025, it was 745th in England and Wales, 367th in Scotland and 120th in Northern Ireland.
Niall in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 74 | #573 |
| 2024 | 93 | #479 |
| 2023 | 89 | #500 |
| 2022 | 98 | #457 |
| 2021 | 119 | #411 |
| 2020 | 141 | #357 |
| 2019 | 145 | #352 |
| 2018 | 157 | #337 |
| 2017 | 173 | #330 |
| 2016 | 168 | #328 |
| 2015 | 181 | #303 |
| 2014 | 223 | #262 |
| 2013 | 235 | #243 |
| 2012 | 231 | #245 |
| 2011 | 210 | #254 |
| 2010 | 215 | #252 |
| 2009 | 209 | #244 |
| 2008 | 244 | #212 |
| 2007 | 245 | #216 |
| 2006 | 266 | #188 |
| 2005 | 315 | #167 |
| 2004 | 268 | #174 |
| 2003 | 365 | #146 |
| 2002 | 463 | #117 |
| 2001 | 411 | #126 |
| 2000 | 465 | #119 |
| 1999 | 568 | #104 |
| 1998 | 556 | #107 |
| 1997 | 555 | #103 |
| 1996 | 510 | #107 |
How popular is Niall in the US?
- Rank in 2025
- #1,699among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 96about 1 in 18,000 boys
- Five-year trend
- Risingup 29% in five years
- Same name in a class
- under 1%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 96 boys in the US were named Niall, making it the 1,699th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 2,113th. Its busiest year was 2024, with 110 boys. It first appears in the records in 1955.
Half of all the boys named Niall in the US since 1880 were born between 1995 and 2019, the years shaded on the chart below.
In 2025, 185 boys in the US were given Niall or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #1,040, up from #1,699 for this spelling alone.
- Niall 96
- Nayel 89
Niall in the US, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 96 | #1,699 |
| 2024 | 110 | #1,573 |
| 2023 | 90 | #1,787 |
| 2022 | 77 | #1,980 |
| 2021 | 84 | #1,840 |
| 2020 | 66 | #2,113 |
| 2019 | 68 | #2,109 |
| 2018 | 96 | #1,663 |
| 2017 | 76 | #1,897 |
| 2016 | 53 | #2,412 |
| 2015 | 55 | #2,354 |
| 2014 | 64 | #2,137 |
| 2013 | 69 | #1,988 |
| 2012 | 43 | #2,771 |
| 2011 | 34 | #3,234 |
| 2010 | 18 | #5,044 |
| 2009 | 22 | #4,427 |
| 2008 | 33 | #3,342 |
| 2007 | 33 | #3,311 |
| 2006 | 35 | #3,082 |
| 2005 | 28 | #3,443 |
| 2004 | 34 | #2,949 |
| 2003 | 39 | #2,575 |
| 2002 | 32 | #2,878 |
| 2001 | 34 | #2,737 |
| 2000 | 37 | #2,520 |
| 1999 | 33 | #2,604 |
| 1998 | 29 | #2,779 |
| 1997 | 35 | #2,344 |
| 1996 | 34 | #2,327 |
| 1995 | 31 | #2,439 |
| 1994 | 37 | #2,176 |
| 1993 | 35 | #2,204 |
| 1992 | 30 | #2,407 |
| 1991 | 45 | #1,762 |
| 1990 | 26 | #2,548 |
| 1989 | 28 | #2,353 |
| 1988 | 18 | #2,956 |
| 1987 | 15 | #3,197 |
| 1986 | 21 | #2,508 |
| 1985 | 8 | #4,693 |
| 1984 | 10 | #3,922 |
| 1983 | 7 | #4,904 |
| 1982 | 14 | #3,107 |
| 1981 | 8 | #4,507 |
| 1980 | 11 | #3,614 |
| 1979 | 11 | #3,567 |
| 1978 | 8 | #4,155 |
| 1977 | 7 | #4,580 |
| 1976 | 11 | #3,262 |
| 1975 | 12 | #3,076 |
| 1974 | 7 | #4,188 |
| 1973 | 7 | #4,052 |
| 1972 | 8 | #3,620 |
| 1971 | 16 | #2,365 |
| 1970 | 14 | #2,508 |
| 1969 | 11 | #2,681 |
| 1968 | 10 | #2,734 |
| 1967 | 5 | #3,964 |
| 1966 | 0 | – |
| 1965 | 0 | – |
| 1964 | 14 | #2,204 |
| 1963 | 7 | #3,317 |
| 1962 | 7 | #3,303 |
| 1961 | 8 | #3,095 |
| 1960 | 6 | #3,663 |
| 1959 | 7 | #3,289 |
| 1958 | 6 | #3,557 |
| 1957 | 0 | – |
| 1956 | 6 | #3,533 |
| 1955 | 5 | #3,884 |
Names like Niall
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Ryan Connor Declan Ronan Aiden Kian Nathan Dylan Liam Rowan Kieran Finn
Other spellings of Niall
Names related to Niall
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