Name meaning & stats
Neill
Neill means “champion (debated)” (Irish origin). 1,404 US babies since 1940, peak 1950. Notable Neills are 1.3× over-represented as screenwriters.
What it means
“champion (debated)”
IrishSpelling of Neil
Neil around the world
- Нил · Russian
- Ніл · Ukrainian
- Νιλ · Greek
- نيل · Arabic
- ניל · Hebrew
- ニール · Japanese
- 尼尔 · Chinese
- 닐 · Korean
- Neale · Irish
- Neill · English
Famous Neils
- Neil Armstrong · American astronaut and lunar explorer (1930–2012)
- Neil Gaiman · English writer (born 1960)
- Neil Young · Canadian singer, songwriter and filmmaker (born 1945)
- Neil deGrasse Tyson · American astrophysicist and science communicator
In US birth records
Peak year: 1950
1,404 US babies were named Neill between 1940 and 2025.
Neill around the world
- Ireland: 284 babies since 1964, peak 1983
- Scotland: 163 babies since 1974, peak 1975
- New Zealand: 21 babies since 1900, peak 1950
From official birth registries. Sources are listed on About the data.
Where Neills end up
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Footballer | 1.2× | Low · 4 people |
| Actor | 1.1× | Low · 2 people |
| Singer | 1.3× | Low · 2 people |
| Screenwriter | 1.3× | Low · 2 people |
Among notable men who are screenwriters, Neills show up 1.3× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people of every nationality born 1940–2005 (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
Other spellings
1 in 67 Neils spell it Neill
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 1950)