Niall
Niall is a male given name of Irish origin. The original meaning of the name is unknown, but popular modern sources have suggested that it means "champion". According to John Ryan, Professor of Early and Medieval History at University College Dublin, Niall "seems to be so ancient that its meaning was lost before records began."
- Irish
- Old Irish
Meaning & Origin of Niall
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Niall is a male given name of Irish origin. The original meaning of the name is unknown, but popular modern sources have suggested that it means "champion". According to John Ryan, Professor of Early and Medieval History at University College Dublin, Niall "seems to be so ancient that its meaning was lost before records began."
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Irish
- Old Irish
The Story of Niall
The earliest SSA record of Niall as a baby boy name dates back to 1955, when 5 babies received it. 2026 was its biggest year on record, with 112 newborns named Niall — #1,564 in the national rankings. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 29% of all recorded Nialls. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,564 among baby boy names with 112 births, rising sharply (+27% over the past five years). In total, more than 2K Nialls have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Niall
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Niall. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Niall
Phonetically similar names — useful when Niall is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Niall
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About the name Niall
Niall is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1955 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Niall's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #1,564. Use the chart and map above to compare Niall's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
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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.