Oneil
The O'Neill dynasty are a lineage of Irish Gaelic origin that held prominent positions and titles in Ireland and elsewhere. As kings of Cenél nEógain, they were historically one of the most prominent family of the Northern Uí Néill, along with the O'Donnell dynasty.
Meaning & Origin of Oneil
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
The O'Neill dynasty are a lineage of Irish Gaelic origin that held prominent positions and titles in Ireland and elsewhere. As kings of Cenél nEógain, they were historically one of the most prominent family of the Northern Uí Néill, along with the O'Donnell dynasty.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Oneil
Oneil first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1892, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1924, when 38 Oneils were born — ranking #1,169 that year. As of 2026, Oneil ranks #8,947 for baby boys with 8 births, falling sharply (-23%). In total, more than 2K Oneils have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Oneil
Phonetically similar names — useful when Oneil 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 Oneil
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About the name Oneil
Oneil is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1892 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Oneil's peak popularity came in 1924 when it ranked #1,169. Use the chart and map above to compare Oneil's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1924 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "O" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.