boy's name
Niel
- Origin Dutch
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 1
- Letters 4
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 1,488
Scotland
#332
1981 births
Niel is a boy's name with 1 syllable. In 2025 it was given to 5 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
- Niel is a name of Dutch origin.
- Peaked in 1958, when 26 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 663,130 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1913.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Niel over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1910s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 58 |
| 1920s | 109 |
| 1930s | 154 |
| 1940s | 169 |
| 1950s | 213 |
| 1960s | 168 |
| 1970s | 136 |
| 1980s | 129 |
| 1990s | 86 |
| 2000s | 73 |
| 2010s | 61 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 28 |
How popular is Niel?
In 2025, Niel was given to 5 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Where Niel is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Niel
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Niel also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Niel over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Sibling names for Niel
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Niel — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Niel
How popular is the name Niel?
In 2025, Niel was given to 5 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Is Niel a girl's or a boy's name?
Niel is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Niel?
Niel has 1 syllable.
When was Niel most popular?
Niel peaked in 1958, when 26 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Niel a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Niel currently ranks #5,733 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.