Neely
Girl name · #4072 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Neely? In official American birth records, Neely has been tracked continuously since 1888, giving it 137 years of documented American history.
Neely ranks #4072 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 35 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #3915, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 51,429 girls born in 2025 was named Neely.
Babies named Neely per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 137-year story
Neely first appears in the Social Security records in 1888, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1974, when 75 girls were named Neely — good for #1369 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Neely against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Neely in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Neely is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Neely will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Neely is most common
State-level data for Neely is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Neely
Statistically, parents drawn to Neely tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Keely, Amity, Tommi, Fanta, and Mirna.
KeelyAmityTommiFantaMirnaHolleyRaniKenya
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Neely | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 35 | #4067 |
| 2024 | 25 | #5148 |
| 2023 | 31 | #4454 |
| 2022 | 33 | #4295 |
| 2021 | 33 | #4245 |
| 2020 | 24 | #5168 |
| 2019 | 36 | #4006 |
| 2018 | 33 | #4237 |
| 2017 | 37 | #3996 |
| 2016 | 44 | #3523 |
| 2015 | 38 | #3915 |
| 2014 | 52 | #3137 |
| 2013 | 49 | #3267 |
| 2012 | 55 | #3040 |
| 2011 | 48 | #3350 |
| 2010 | 47 | #3409 |
| 2009 | 51 | #3252 |
| 2008 | 48 | #3420 |
| 2007 | 55 | #3125 |
| 2006 | 55 | #3054 |
| 2005 | 68 | #2524 |
| 2004 | 56 | #2851 |
| 2003 | 48 | #3085 |
| 2002 | 55 | #2745 |
| 2001 | 40 | #3368 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Neely?
In official American birth records, the name Neely first appeared in 1888 (over 137 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Neely a popular girl name?
Neely ranked #4072 among girls in 2025 with 35 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3915.
When was the name Neely most popular?
Neely peaked in 1974, when 75 American girls received the name (ranked #1369 that year). Since 1974 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Neely?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 51,429 newborn American girls was named Neely. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.