78,536births recorded
15Countries
3Variants
1973Peak · South Australia
#1906United States 2025
Neal is a boy name family recorded 78,536 times in 15 countries since 1880. It ranks highest today in the United States (#1906 in 2025). Its all-time peak was in South Australia in 1973, at 344.5 births per 100,000. Elsewhere it is mostly given as Nigel (Ontario, Ireland, New South Wales).
Popularity by country
Births per 100,000 newborns, all forms of the name combined.
Which form wins where
Births per 100,000 newborns for each form, in the selected country.
Rank in countries that publish top lists only
All forms of Neal
| Variants | Language | Total births | Country | Latest rank | Peak year | 10-year trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neal | English | 55,305 | 🇺🇸 United States | #1906 | 1952 | ▼ 40 % |
| Neal | English | 984 | 🇨🇦 Ontario | – | 1969 | – |
| Neal | English | 510 | 🇫🇷 France | #2923 | 2017 | ▼ 50 % |
| Neal | English | 318 | 🇧🇪 Belgium | – | 2017 | – |
| Neal | English | 310 | 🇮🇪 Ireland | – | 1976 | – |
| Neal | English | 270 | 🇨🇦 British Columbia | – | 1969 | – |
| Nigel | English | 12,371 | 🇺🇸 United States | #2077 | 1994 | ▼ 54 % |
| Nigel | English | 1,915 | 🇮🇪 Ireland | – | 1975 | – |
| Nigel | English | 1,505 | 🇨🇦 Ontario | – | 1992 | – |
| Nigel | English | 1,287 | 🇦🇺 New South Wales | – | 1972 | – |
| Nigel | English | 1,009 | 🇦🇺 South Australia | – | 1973 | – |
| Nigel | English | 518 | 🇨🇦 British Columbia | – | 1981 | – |
| Nygel | English | 520 | 🇺🇸 United States | – | 1999 | – |
| Nygel | English | 5 | 🇫🇷 France | – | 2011 | – |
How we grouped these names
- Nigel ↔ Neal — Wikidata “said to be the same as”
- Nigel ↔ Nygel — spelling variant
Questions about Neal
How popular is the name Neal?
In 2025 it ranked #1906 in the United States. Official registers record 78,536 births across 15 countries.
What is Neal in other languages?
Nigel (English); Nygel (English).
When was Neal most popular?
It peaked in South Australia in 1973, at 344.5 births per 100,000.
Is Neal a boy or a girl name?
In official birth registers, Neal is a boy name.