Neil
Boy name · 7,356 babies recorded · 1974–2025
Neil: 7,356 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 520 births in 1975.
Neil comes from the Gaelic name Niall, meaning “champion” or “cloud”—a fitting root for a name borne by trailblazers like astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the Moon in 1969. The name also belongs to singer-songwriter Neil Diamond and author Neil Gaiman. While no major place is directly named after a famous Neil, the root Niall is linked to the legendary Irish high king Niall of the Nine Hostages, whose descendants formed the powerful O'Neill dynasty. The spelling variant Neal is common in Scotland and Ireland, while Niall remains the original Gaelic form—a name that has crossed cultures but still feels firmly Scottish.
Boy 49 of 52 years
- Peak year
- 1975520 babies
- Latest (2023)
- #7283 babies
- Total births
- 7,356since 1974
- 5-year trend
- ▼ 37%vs prior 5y