UK boy's name
Niall
A masculine name of Gaelic origin meaning "champion" or "passionate".
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.
Niall is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Niall popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #613, with 62 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 462 births.
This profile covers 5,746 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 13% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 8,885 living people in the UK are called Niall. 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
- • Niall ranked #613 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 62 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 462 boys were registered as Niall.
- • Niall ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #144 in 2024.
- • About 8,885 living people in the UK are estimated to have Niall as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#613
2024
Births in 2024
62
Latest year
Peak year
1996
462 births
Estimated living
8,885
2026
Meaning
What does Niall mean?
The name Niall originated from the Irish Gaelic language and has its roots in ancient Celtic culture. It is derived from the old Irish word "Niall" or "Nial," which means "champion" or "cloud." The name has been in use for centuries, with some of the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 5th century AD.
One of the most famous historical figures to bear this name was Niall Noígiallach, also known as Niall of the Nine Hostages. He was an Irish king who ruled in the late 4th and early 5th centuries. Niall is credited with leading military campaigns across Ireland, Britain, and parts of Europe, earning him the epithet "of the Nine Hostages" for the hostages he allegedly took during his conquests.
Another notable Niall in history was Niall Frossach, a 10th-century Irish king of the Northern Uí Néill dynasty. He played a significant role in the political landscape of Ireland during his reign, engaging in battles and forming alliances with other powerful clans.
In the realm of literature, the name Niall appears in some ancient Irish texts and legends. For instance, the Lebor Gabála Érenn (The Book of Invasions), a medieval Irish pseudo-historical work, mentions a character named Niall.
Niall Crosbie (1942-2013) was an Irish actor best known for his roles in films such as "Braveheart" and "The Wind That Shakes the Barley." He had a successful career in theater and television, appearing in numerous productions throughout his lifetime.
Niall Horan (born 1993) is an Irish singer-songwriter and former member of the popular boy band One Direction. After the group's hiatus in 2016, he embarked on a successful solo career, releasing chart-topping albums and singles.
Niall MacGinnis (1913-1977) was an Irish actor who appeared in several notable films, including "The Quiet Man" and "The Blood Beast Terror." He had a versatile career spanning over three decades, working in both theater and cinema.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Niall over time
The chart below shows babies named Niall 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 Niall, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 62 births in 2024, compared with 462 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Niall by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Niall 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 | #555 | 351 | 5 |
| 2010s | #343 | 1,344 | 10 |
| 2000s | #194 | 2,352 | 10 |
| 1990s | #111 | 1,699 | 4 |
Geography
Where Niall is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Niall. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Niall ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #144 in 2024.
Across the UK
Niall in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#246 in 2024
51 years of NRS records, 1,796 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#144 in 2024
28 years of NISRA records, 1,444 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Niall
-
Niall Treacy
short-track speed skater
British short track speed skater
2000-
-
Niall Watson
association football player
English association football player (born 2000)
2000-
-
Niall O'Shea
Gaelic football player
Gaelic football player
2000-
-
Niall Maher
association football player
English footballer (born 1995)
1995-
-
Niall Thompson
association football player
English footballer (born 1993)
1993-
-
Niall Wright
actor; television actor
Irish actor
1991-
-
Niall Morgan
association football player; Gaelic football player
Gaelic footballer
1991-
-
Niall McKeever
Australian rules football player; Gaelic football player
Australian rules footballer
1989-
Related
Names similar to Niall
- Noah 72,596
- Nathan 46,860
- Nicholas 15,983
- Nathaniel 12,151
- Nicolas 3,825
- Nico 3,532
- Nate 2,029
- Nikodem 1,872
- Noel 1,865
- Ned 1,614
- Neo 1,563
- Neil 1,457
FAQ
Niall: questions and answers
How popular is the name Niall in the UK right now?
In 2024, Niall was ranked #613 for boys in England and Wales, with 62 births registered.
When was Niall most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 462 babies registered as Niall in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Niall?
A masculine name of Gaelic origin meaning "champion" or "passionate".
How many people are called Niall in the UK?
A total of 5,746 babies have been registered as Niall across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 1,796 more in Scotland and 1,444 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Niall most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Niall ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #144 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.