Niall
Boy name · #1703 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Niall? In official American birth records, Niall has been tracked continuously since 1955, giving it 70 years of documented American history.
Niall ranks #1703 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 96 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2355, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 18,750 boys born in 2025 was named Niall.
Babies named Niall per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 70-year story
Niall first appears in the Social Security records in 1955, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 110 babies and a rank of #1573. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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 Niall against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Niall in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Niall is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Niall will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Niall is most common
State-level data for Niall 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 Niall
Statistically, parents drawn to Niall tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kyrell, Abiel, Mendel, Axell, and Nayel.
KyrellAbielMendelAxellNayelNihalNileHansel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Niall | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 96 | #1699 |
| 2024 | 110 | #1573 |
| 2023 | 90 | #1787 |
| 2022 | 77 | #1981 |
| 2021 | 84 | #1841 |
| 2020 | 66 | #2113 |
| 2019 | 68 | #2110 |
| 2018 | 96 | #1663 |
| 2017 | 76 | #1897 |
| 2016 | 53 | #2412 |
| 2015 | 55 | #2355 |
| 2014 | 64 | #2138 |
| 2013 | 69 | #1989 |
| 2012 | 43 | #2772 |
| 2011 | 34 | #3235 |
| 2010 | 18 | #5047 |
| 2009 | 22 | #4429 |
| 2008 | 33 | #3344 |
| 2007 | 33 | #3313 |
| 2006 | 35 | #3083 |
| 2005 | 28 | #3447 |
| 2004 | 34 | #2953 |
| 2003 | 39 | #2579 |
| 2002 | 32 | #2882 |
| 2001 | 34 | #2742 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Niall?
In official American birth records, the name Niall first appeared in 1955 (over 70 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 70 years.
Is Niall a popular boy name?
Niall ranked #1703 among boys in 2025 with 96 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2355.
When was the name Niall most popular?
Niall peaked in 2024, when 110 American boys received the name (ranked #1573 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Niall?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 18,750 newborn American boys was named Niall. 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.