Boy · #1,997 in 2026

Neal

Name: Popularity of the name Neal in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Neal, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Neal (Neil) is a given masculine and surname of the Gaelic origin. The name may be derived from words meaning "cloud", "passionate", "victory", "honour" or "champion". As a surname, Neil is traced back to Niall of the Nine Hostages who was an Irish king and eponymous ancestor of the Uí Néill and MacNeil kindred.

Current Rank

#1,997

Peak Rank

#198 (1959)

Total Babies

55K

5-Yr Trend

-22%

1901

First Year

1986

Last Year

1912

Peak Year

#1620

Peak Rank

257

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Neal

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Neal

Neal first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 43 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1959, when 1,223 Neals were born — ranking #222 that year. As of 2026, Neal ranks #1,997 for baby boys with 78 births, falling sharply (-22%). In total, more than 55K Neals have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Neal

Phonetically similar names — useful when Neal is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Kneel
Neil
Neel
Niel
Neill
Neale
Kneale
Neele
Neall
Neile
Nail
Nile

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Neal

What does the name Neal mean?

How popular is Neal in 2026?

In 2026, Neal ranks #1,997 among boys' names in the U.S., with 78 babies given the name that year.

When was Neal most popular?

Neal reached its peak popularity in 1959, ranking #198 that year with 1,223 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Neal most popular?

Neal has historically been most popular in Hawaii, Vermont, North Dakota. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Neal.

Is Neal a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Neal is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Neal?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Neal include Milan, Arch, Loren. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Neal

Neal is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 55K births in the dataset. Neal's peak popularity came in 1959 when it ranked #198. Use the chart and map above to compare Neal's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.