NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Neeson

A masculine given name of Irish origin meaning "champion" or "fierce".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2015. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Neeson is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Neeson popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2015 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3908, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2015, with 4 births.

This profile covers 10 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2013 to 2015. 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.

Neeson is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 10 living people in the UK are called Neeson. 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 2016 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Neeson ranked #3908 for boys in England and Wales in 2015, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2015, when 4 boys were registered as Neeson.
  • About 10 living people in the UK are estimated to have Neeson as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3908

2015

Births in 2015

4

Latest year

Peak year

2015

4 births

Estimated living

10

2026

Meaning

What does Neeson mean?

The name Neeson is an anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Niadh Sháin, which means "descendant of the son of Nia". It originated in Ireland during the Middle Ages, likely around the 11th or 12th century. The name is derived from the Gaelic personal name Nia, which means "champion" or "warrior".

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In this text, there is a reference to a man named Neasan O'Neasan, who lived in the 15th century and was a member of a prominent Irish clan.

Throughout history, there have been several notable figures who bore the name Neeson or a variation of it. One such individual was Neasan O'Donnellan, a 16th-century Irish scholar and historian who wrote extensively about the history and genealogy of Irish families.

Another notable bearer of the name was Neasan O'Higgins, an Irish-born Chilean independence leader who played a crucial role in the Chilean War of Independence in the early 19th century. He was born in 1777 and died in 1842.

In the 19th century, there was also a famous Irish priest named Neasan O'Donnelly, who was known for his work in promoting education and literacy among the Irish population. He lived from 1815 to 1892.

One of the most well-known bearers of the name in modern times is the Irish actor Liam Neeson, born in 1952. He has starred in numerous acclaimed films and is particularly known for his roles in action and drama movies.

While the name Neeson is not as common as some other Irish names, it has a rich history and has been borne by several notable figures throughout the centuries. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Gaelic language and culture of Ireland, where it was once a prominent name among influential clans and families.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Neeson over time

The chart below shows babies named Neeson registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2013 to 2015. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Neeson, the clearest high point is 2015. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2015, compared with 4 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Neeson
01234201320142015

Decades

Neeson by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Neeson 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
2010s #4408 10 3

Related

Names similar to Neeson

FAQ

Neeson: questions and answers

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

In 2015, Neeson was ranked #3908 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Neeson most popular?

The peak year on record was 2015, with 4 babies registered as Neeson in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Neeson?

A masculine given name of Irish origin meaning "champion" or "fierce".

How many people are called Neeson in the UK?

A total of 10 babies have been registered as Neeson across the 3 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.