NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Neel

A Sanskrit name meaning blue or dark blue in color.

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Neel is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Neel popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1322, with 20 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 34 births.

This profile covers 526 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 59% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 522 living people in the UK are called Neel. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Neel ranked #1322 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 20 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2008, when 34 boys were registered as Neel.
  • About 522 living people in the UK are estimated to have Neel as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1322

2024

Births in 2024

20

Latest year

Peak year

2008

34 births

Estimated living

522

2026

Meaning

What does Neel mean?

The name Neel has its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient language of the Indian subcontinent. It dates back to around the 5th century BCE and is derived from the Sanskrit word "nila," which means "blue" or "dark blue." The name is closely associated with the Hindu religion and culture.

Neel is a name that has been mentioned in several ancient Hindu texts, such as the Puranas and the Mahabharata. In the Mahabharata, one of the major Sanskrit epics, Neel is the name of a character who is a warrior and a skilled archer. This text, which dates back to around the 8th century BCE, is one of the earliest recorded instances of the name.

One of the earliest recorded examples of a historical figure with the name Neel is Neel Kanth, a 9th-century Indian philosopher and scholar. He was known for his contributions to the field of logic and is considered one of the most influential thinkers of his time.

Another notable figure with the name Neel is Neel Kamal, a 16th-century Indian poet and writer. He was born in 1508 in the city of Agra and is renowned for his works in Hindi and Brajbhasha, a literary language derived from Sanskrit.

In the 18th century, Neel Ratan Haldar was a prominent Indian writer and playwright. He was born in 1688 and is best known for his works in the Bengali language, including plays and poetry.

Neel Darpan, born in 1824, was a 19th-century Indian social reformer and writer. He is remembered for his efforts to abolish the practice of indentured labor and for his advocacy of education and women's rights.

Neel Adhikari, who lived from 1904 to 1988, was a 20th-century Indian freedom fighter and political activist. He played a significant role in the Indian independence movement and was a prominent figure in the Communist Party of India.

These are just a few examples of historical figures who bore the name Neel, which has a rich heritage and deep-rooted cultural significance in the Indian subcontinent.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Neel over time

The chart below shows babies named Neel registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Neel, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 20 births in 2024, compared with 34 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Neel
09172634199620102024

Decades

Neel by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Neel was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #1544 80 5
2010s #1340 205 10
2000s #1117 193 10
1990s #1269 48 4

Notable bearers

Famous people named Neel

  • Neel Burton

    psychiatrist

    British psychiatrist and author

    1978-

Related

Names similar to Neel

FAQ

Neel: questions and answers

How popular is the name Neel in the UK right now?

In 2024, Neel was ranked #1322 for boys in England and Wales, with 20 births registered.

When was Neel most popular?

The peak year on record was 2008, with 34 babies registered as Neel in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Neel?

A Sanskrit name meaning blue or dark blue in color.

How many people are called Neel in the UK?

A total of 526 babies have been registered as Neel across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.