Neel
How to say it: NEEL · /ˈniːl/
From Sanskrit 'nila' meaning 'dark blue' - short form of Neelkanth, popular in India and diaspora.
Neel was the 572nd most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 108 babies (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, 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 | 108 |
| Share of births | 1 in 6,935 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | −27% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #657 |
| In France, 2025 | #479 among boys’ names, 5 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Neel is climbing: the 2020s are already its best decade.
What goes with it
Honouring a Neel in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Neel is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Dutch, English, French, Hindi.
In France: #479 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Neel
- Neel Jani (born 1983)Swiss professional Porsche factory driver
- Neel Sethi (born 2003)American actor
- Neel Mukherjee (born 1970)Indian writer
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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