Neil in Irish: Niall
The Irish form of Neil is Niall, a boy's name meaning “passionate, vehement.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Irish form
- Niall
- Meaning
- Passionate, vehement
- Gender
- Boy
- Popularity in Ireland
- No. 372 for boys (2025)
How do you say Neil in Irish?
Neil in Irish is Niall, pronounced NYE-al. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first.
What does Niall mean?
Niall means “passionate, vehement.” Neil is one of the English forms of the name.
Read more about Niall: its meaning, origin and stories
How popular is Neil in Ireland?
In 2025, 10 baby boys in Ireland were named Neil, which made it No. 372 that year. That's up from No. 397 ten years earlier. It was most popular in 1978, when 180 baby boys were named Neil, No. 55 that year. The records go back to 1964, when 43 baby boys were given the name.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | No. 372 |
| 2024 | 13 | No. 302 |
| 2023 | 8 | No. 436 |
| 2022 | 13 | No. 329 |
| 2021 | 8 | No. 414 |
| 2020 | 6 | No. 496 |
| 2019 | 7 | No. 466 |
| 2018 | 8 | No. 435 |
| 2017 | 13 | No. 317 |
| 2016 | 6 | No. 491 |
| 2015 | 9 | No. 397 |
| 2014 | 15 | No. 302 |
| 2013 | 13 | No. 317 |
| 2012 | 16 | No. 290 |
| 2011 | 14 | No. 308 |
| 2010 | 25 | No. 220 |
| 2009 | 11 | No. 337 |
| 2008 | 23 | No. 225 |
| 2007 | 24 | No. 201 |
| 2006 | 22 | No. 197 |
| 2005 | 27 | No. 165 |
| 2004 | 28 | No. 151 |
| 2003 | 32 | No. 134 |
| 2002 | 34 | No. 129 |
| 2001 | 32 | No. 131 |
| 2000 | 46 | No. 104 |
| 1999 | 47 | No. 97 |
| 1998 | 39 | No. 107 |
| 1997 | 43 | No. 115 |
| 1996 | 47 | No. 110 |
| 1995 | 62 | No. 86 |
| 1994 | 73 | No. 83 |
| 1993 | 78 | No. 79 |
| 1992 | 73 | No. 83 |
| 1991 | 79 | No. 81 |
| 1990 | 82 | No. 81 |
| 1989 | 94 | No. 71 |
| 1988 | 88 | No. 75 |
| 1987 | 106 | No. 68 |
| 1986 | 102 | No. 75 |
| 1985 | 112 | No. 66 |
| 1984 | 146 | No. 58 |
| 1983 | 120 | No. 66 |
| 1982 | 162 | No. 56 |
| 1981 | 144 | No. 64 |
| 1980 | 137 | No. 65 |
| 1979 | 153 | No. 62 |
| 1978 | 180 | No. 55 |
| 1977 | 157 | No. 59 |
| 1976 | 100 | No. 77 |
| 1975 | 98 | No. 77 |
| 1974 | 98 | No. 73 |
| 1973 | 98 | No. 79 |
| 1972 | 70 | No. 93 |
| 1971 | 65 | No. 98 |
| 1970 | 38 | No. 108 |
| 1969 | 83 | No. 74 |
| 1968 | 33 | No. 103 |
| 1967 | 50 | No. 86 |
| 1966 | 58 | No. 81 |
| 1965 | 45 | No. 88 |
| 1964 | 43 | No. 82 |
Niall in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Niall, letter by letter.
- NNion, ash
- IIodhadh, yew
- AAilm, pine
- LLuis, rowan
- LLuis, rowan
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Neil
Questions about Neil
- What is Neil in Irish?
- The Irish form of Neil is Niall, pronounced NYE-al. Niall means “passionate, vehement.”
- How do you pronounce Niall?
- Niall is pronounced NYE-al. Two syllables, stress on the first. There's a short video above where you can hear it said.
- Is Neil a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Neil is a boy's name.
- How popular is Neil in Ireland?
- In 2025, Neil was No. 372 for boys in Ireland, with 10 babies, according to the Central Statistics Office. It was most popular in 1978, at No. 55.