boy's name
Nial
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 4
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 608
Northern Ireland
#297
2001 births
Nial is a boy's name with 2 syllables. In 2024 it was given to 11 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
- Peaked in Ireland in 1972, when 26 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1970s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival in Ireland.
- First appears in birth records in 1964.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Nial over time
Births per decade in Ireland, 1960s to 2000s. The striped bar is the 2000s, still in progress — it covers 2000 to 2005, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 65 |
| 1970s | 144 |
| 1980s | 97 |
| 1990s | 6 |
| 2000s (to 2005) | 3 |
How popular is Nial?
In 2005, Nial was given to 3 babies in Ireland, ranking #565 that year. It is a rare choice.
Where Nial is used
Irish figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year, so a gap means the name fell below that floor rather than went unused. The Central Statistics Office began recording the síneadh fada in 2018, so accented and unaccented spellings are counted separately from that year on. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Nial
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Nial also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Nial over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Sibling names for Nial
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Nial — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Nial
How popular is the name Nial?
In 2005, Nial was given to 3 babies in Ireland, ranking #565 that year. It is a rare choice.
Is Nial a girl's or a boy's name?
Nial is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Nial?
Nial has 2 syllables.
When was Nial most popular?
Nial peaked in 1972, when 26 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1970s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
Is Nial a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Nial currently ranks #5,892 in Ireland. After peaking in the 1970s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.