Neal
How to say it: NEEL · /ˈnil/
Variant of Neil; from Irish Gaelic Niall, of uncertain meaning, possibly 'champion' or 'cloud'.
Neal was the 572nd most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 82 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1950s, its births are down about 27% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #657 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #572 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 82 |
| Share of births | 1 in 6,935 |
| Peak decade | 1950s |
| Change over 10 years | −27% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #657 |
| In France, 2025 | #479 among boys’ names, 10 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Neal peaked in the 1950s and is less common today.
What goes with it
Honouring a Neal in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Neal is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, Irish.
In France: #479 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Neal
- Neal Stephenson (born 1959)American science fiction writer
- Neal McDonough (born 1966)American actor
- Neal Maupay (born 1996)French footballer
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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