Total births
2,239
Unisex name · since 1888
Neely
Neely has 2,239 recorded births since 1888 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1974 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #5158
- among girls today
- 2,239
- born since 1888
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 71%
- more common than other girls
Neely currently ranks #5158 among unisex names in America, with 2,239 babies recorded since 1888.
Neely has 2,239 recorded births among girls since 1888, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #5158 as of the latest data, more common than 71% of girls, busiest in the 2000s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1888 to 2025.
- #5158 among girls today
- 2,239 born since 1888
- 2000s peak decade
- 71% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Neely is currently the #5158 unisex name in America, more common than 71% of girls - 2,239 born since 1888, peaking in the 2000s.
- #5158
- among girls today
- 2,239
- born since 1888
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 71%
- more common than other girls
Neely vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#5158
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 71% of names given to girls today.
2000s
Peak decade
24% of everyone ever named Neely was born in this single decade.
1974
Single peak year
75 babies were named Neely in 1974 - its busiest year on record.
How Neely compares
2,239 Top 21% higher than 79% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Neely's all-time total is 6x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Neely | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,239 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 75 | 48 | 19,840 |
Neely's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Neely's full recorded timeline at 1992, 62% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 38% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1888, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1974 peak of 75 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Neely at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1974
Current rank
#5,158
Active since
1888
Neely popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1888–2025
- Peak year (1974)
- 75
- Annual births at peak, across 138 years of records
Neely popularity over time - boys
391 total births recorded since 1890 (Neely as boys' name)
Neely by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Neely's strongest decade.
534 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 24% of all-time use.
Neely births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 5
1880s
5 births
- 1890s 10
1890s
10 births
- 1910s 13
1910s
13 births
- 1920s 11
1920s
11 births
- 1930s 5
1930s
5 births
- 1940s 10
1940s
10 births
- 1960s 62
1960s
62 births
- 1970s
1970s
408 births
- 1980s
1980s
287 births
- 1990s
1990s
274 births
- 2000s
2000s
534 births
- 2010s
2010s
439 births
- 2020s 181
2020s
181 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 534 births (24% of all-time use).
How Neely compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Neely's total volume
Neely vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Neely by state
Where Neely concentrates geographically, total births since 1888
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 198 | 8.8% |
| #2 | Tennessee | | 113 | 5.0% |
| #3 | Mississippi | | 79 | 3.5% |
| #4 | Georgia | | 33 | 1.5% |
| #5 | Alabama | | 21 | 0.9% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 12 | 0.5% |
| #7 | California | | 10 | 0.4% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 10 | 0.4% |
Texas share of Neely's total US births 8.8%
Even split
198 of 2,239 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 14 reporting states.
Neely appears in 14 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Neely? ▼
2,239 babies have been named Neely since 1888. It currently ranks #5158 among girls. The peak year was 1974 with 75 births.
When was Neely most popular? ▼
Neely was most popular in the 2000s decade with 534 total births. The single peak year was 1974.
Where is Neely most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Neely are Texas (198 births), Tennessee (113 births), Mississippi (79 births).
Is Neely a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Neely is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 2,239 births, and as a boy's name it has 391 births.
How long has the name Neely been used? ▼
Records for Neely go back to 1888, giving 138 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Neely? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Neena, Neela, Neema, Neeley, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Neely's data
- Neely's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (534 total births) through the 2020s (181) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Neelys (198 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Neely
Nearby Names Like Neely
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Neely
Neena Girl
#8037 1,775 births
Neela Girl
#3027 1,374 births
Neema Girl
#4322 784 births
Neeley Girl
#13784 412 births
Neelam Girl
316 births
Compare Neely side by side: Neely vs Neena Neely vs Neela Neely vs Neema
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Neely
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, 1888–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Neely: #5158 Unisex Name - 2,239 Births, Peak 1974." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/neely. 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 Neely 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.