Niall

Niall: name meaning, origin & popularity

Meaning: “uncertain; possibly champion or cloud”
Origin: Irish
Say it: NYE-uhl · 2 syllables
Used for: Boys

Traditional Irish name borne by early kings, including Niall Noígiallach. Its ultimate etymology is debated; proposed meanings include 'champion' or a connection to 'cloud'. The origin of this name is not settled among etymologists.

Irish names Names meaning warrior Names meaning sky Classic names Royal names International names

How popular is Niall?

202433.0 per million US babies

Drag the line or the slider to read any year. Values are per million US births recorded by Social Security. Records before about 1937 undercount births, so early peaks can look taller than they were.

Compare with another name

Babies named Niall in 2024109

2024 rank#1,580 boys

Peak year2024

Total US babies since 18801,995

Niall is rising: use over the last five years is 2.0× what it was a decade earlier.

Names like Niall

Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.

Liamresolute protector · Irish
Aidenlittle fire · Irish
Nolandescendant of Nuallán · Irish
Ryanlittle king · Irish
Declanuncertain, possibly full of goodness · Irish
Connorlover of hounds · Irish
Kevinhandsome, gentle, kind · Irish
Braydendescendant of Bradán · Irish

Niall questions

What does the name Niall mean?

Niall means "uncertain; possibly champion or cloud". It comes from Irish. Traditional Irish name borne by early kings, including Niall Noígiallach. Its ultimate etymology is debated; proposed meanings include 'champion' or a connection to 'cloud'.

Is Niall a boy or girl name?

Niall is mainly a boy's name in US records (100% of uses since 1880).

How popular is Niall?

109 US babies were named Niall in 2024. Its peak year was 2024.

How do you pronounce Niall?

Niall is usually pronounced NYE-uhl.

Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.