Boy · #2,296 in 2026

Nigel

Nigel is an English masculine given name.

  • English
Current Rank
#2,296
Peak Rank
#477 (1994)
Total Babies
12K
5-Yr Trend
-39%
1915
First Year
1994
Last Year
1977
Peak Year
#5532
Peak Rank
85
Total Count
13
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Nigel

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

Nigel is an English masculine given name.

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

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • English
Etymology
The name is derived from the church Latin Nigellus . This word was at first assumed to be derived from the classical Latin nigellus (meaning dark). However, this is now considered an example of an incorrect etymology passed down and created by French-speaking clerics , who knew Latin as well and translated the Norman first name Neel to Latin written documents, as was conventional in Western Europe at the time. The Latin word nigellus gave birth to Old French neel (modern nielle ), meaning " niello , black enamel"; and this explains the confusion with Nigel, because the clerics believed it was

The Story of Nigel

Nigel first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1929, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1994, when 447 Nigels were born — ranking #477 that year. As of 2026, Nigel ranks #2,296 for baby boys with 63 births, falling sharply (-39%). In total, more than 12K Nigels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Nigel

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Nigel. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Nigel

Phonetically similar names — useful when Nigel 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 Nigel

What does the name Nigel mean?
Nigel is an English masculine given name.
What is the origin of the name Nigel?
Nigel has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English.
How popular is Nigel in 2026?
In 2026, Nigel ranks #2,296 among boys' names in the U.S., with 63 babies given the name that year.
When was Nigel most popular?
Nigel reached its peak popularity in 1994, ranking #477 that year with 447 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Nigel most popular?
Nigel has historically been most popular in District of Columbia, South Carolina, Georgia. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Nigel.
Is Nigel a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Nigel is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Nigel?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Nigel include Ora, Leandro, Wellington. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Nigel?
Common variants and related forms of Nigel include Neil, Nigellus. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

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About the name Nigel

Nigel is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1929 and has accumulated 12K births in the dataset. Nigel's peak popularity came in 1994 when it ranked #477. Use the chart and map above to compare Nigel'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.