Total births
3,392
Boys' name · since 1918
Neel
Neel has 3,392 recorded births since 1918 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2009 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1858
- among boys today
- 3,392
- born since 1918
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 87%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Neel is the #1858 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 3,392 recorded since 1918.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Neel has been recorded 3,392 times among boys since 1918, currently ranked #1858 nationally and more common than 87% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1918 to 2025.
- #1858 among boys today
- 3,392 born since 1918
- 2010s peak decade
- 87% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Neel is currently the #1858 boys' name in America, more common than 87% of boys - 3,392 born since 1918, peaking in the 2010s.
- #1858
- among boys today
- 3,392
- born since 1918
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 87%
- more common than other boys
Neel vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1858
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 87% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Neel was born in this single decade.
2009
Single peak year
148 babies were named Neel in 2009 - its busiest year on record.
How Neel compares
3,392 Top 15% higher than 85% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Neel's all-time total is 9x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Neel | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,392 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 148 | 23 | 22,252 |
Neel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Neel's SSA record in two at 1993 and the more recent half accounts for 83% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 17%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1919, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2009 peak of 148, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Neel at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2009
Current rank
#1,858
Active since
1918
Neel popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1918–2025
- Peak year (2009)
- 148
- Annual births at peak, across 108 years of records
Neel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Neel's strongest decade.
964 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Neel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 13
1910s
13 births
- 1920s 16
1920s
16 births
- 1930s 5
1930s
5 births
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1950s 14
1950s
14 births
- 1960s 22
1960s
22 births
- 1970s 119
1970s
119 births
- 1980s 289
1980s
289 births
- 1990s
1990s
456 births
- 2000s
2000s
947 births
- 2010s
2010s
964 births
- 2020s
2020s
542 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 964 births (28% of all-time use).
How Neel compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Neel's total volume
Neel vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Neel by state
Where Neel concentrates geographically, total births since 1918
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 575 | 17.0% |
| #2 | New Jersey | | 327 | 9.6% |
| #3 | Texas | | 239 | 7.0% |
| #4 | New York | | 200 | 5.9% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 107 | 3.2% |
| #6 | Washington | | 70 | 2.1% |
| #7 | Massachusetts | | 59 | 1.7% |
| #8 | Virginia | | 52 | 1.5% |
California share of Neel's total US births 17.0%
Even split
575 of 3,392 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 16 reporting states.
Neel appears in 16 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Neel? ▼
Neel has been given to 3,392 babies in the U.S. since 1918, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #1858 as of the latest data. 148 babies were born in 2009, its single highest year.
When was Neel most popular? ▼
Neel was most popular in the 2010s decade with 964 total births. The single peak year was 2009.
Where is Neel most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Neel are California (575 births), New Jersey (327 births), Texas (239 births).
How long has the name Neel been used? ▼
Neel has been recorded in Social Security data since 1918, spanning 108 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Neel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Neev, Neeko, Neely, Needham, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Neel's data
- Neel's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (964 total births) through the 2020s (542) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Neels (575 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Neel
Nearby Names Like Neel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Neel
Neev Boy
#2131 931 births
Neeko Boy
#5144 420 births
Neely Boy
391 births
Needham Boy
328 births
Neeraj Boy
328 births
Compare Neel side by side: Neel vs Neev Neel vs Neeko Neel vs Neely
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Neel
Lucky #1857
3,624 births · Peak 2025
Damoni #1859
1,537 births · Peak 2012
Salomon #1856
3,864 births · Peak 2025
Shaurya #1860
1,705 births · Peak 2025
Vivaan #1855
2,759 births · Peak 2015
Nazai #1861
109 births · Peak 2024
Namari #1854
466 births · Peak 2025
Morris #1862
71,000 births · Peak 1918
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1918–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Neel: #1858 Boys' Name - 3,392 Births, Peak 2009." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/neel. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Neel draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.