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Neil

“Champion, per most sources; also linked to cloud or passion” — Irish Gaelic origin

Boy's name · #850 in the US (2025) · Timeless

Neil has appeared in US records since 1880 — best rank #146 (1953) · 104,869 babies named Neil all-time · 1 in 5,900 boys born in 2025.

Around the world: about 1 in 2,000 boys in Canada (2024) · about 1 in 2,400 boys in Ireland (2025) · about 1 in 4,000 boys in Switzerland (2024).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 26 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Neils

• Neil Armstrong — American astronaut and lunar explorer (1930–2012)
• Neil Gaiman — English writer (born 1960)
• Neil deGrasse Tyson — American astrophysicist and science communicator
• Neil Young — Canadian singer, songwriter and filmmaker (born 1945)
• Neil Patrick Harris — American actor (born 1973)

In stories & tradition

• Neil Winters — The Young and the Restless
• Neil Goldman — Family Guy
• Neil Curtis — Days of Our Lives

What Neils become

Among 2,362 notable people named Neil:

Athletes appear 1.67× more often than among typical names — e.g. Neil Taylor, Welsh association football player (born 1989).

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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