Total births
144
Boys' name · since 1915
Nial
Nial has 144 recorded births since 1915 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2024 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #7303
- among boys today
- 144
- born since 1915
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 49%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Nial is the #7303 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 144 recorded since 1915.
Social Security Administration records show Nial recorded 144 times among boys since 1915, holding rank #7303 nationally today, ahead of 49% of boys, peaking in the 2020s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1915 to 2024.
- #7303 among boys today
- 144 born since 1915
- 2020s peak decade
- 49% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Nial is currently the #7303 boys' name in America, more common than 49% of boys - 144 born since 1915, peaking in the 2020s.
- #7303
- among boys today
- 144
- born since 1915
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 49%
- more common than other boys
Nial vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#7303
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 49% of names given to boys today.
2020s
Peak decade
26% of everyone ever named Nial was born in this single decade.
2024
Single peak year
11 babies were named Nial in 2024 - its busiest year on record.
How Nial compares
144 32th percentile among 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
Nial's all-time total is 61% below the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Nial | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 144 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 11 | 23 | 22,252 |
Nial's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Nial splits its recorded history at 1989: 53% of all births land in the more recent half, 47% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1921 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2024 peak of 11 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Nial at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2024
Current rank
#7,303
Active since
1915
Nial popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1915–2024
- Peak year (2024)
- 11
- Annual births at peak, across 110 years of records
Nial by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Nial's strongest decade.
37 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Nial births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 6
1910s
6 births
- 1920s
1920s
29 births
- 1950s
1950s
17 births
- 1960s 11
1960s
11 births
- 1980s 11
1980s
11 births
- 1990s 7
1990s
7 births
- 2000s 10
2000s
10 births
- 2010s
2010s
16 births
- 2020s
2020s
37 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 37 births (26% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nial? ▼
Since 1915, Social Security records show 144 babies named Nial. Today it holds rank #7303 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2024, with 11 births.
When was Nial most popular? ▼
Nial was most popular in the 2020s decade with 37 total births. The single peak year was 2024.
How long has the name Nial been used? ▼
Nial has been recorded in Social Security data since 1915, spanning 110 years of data through 2024.
What names are similar to Nial? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Niall, Niam, Nian, Nia, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
Keep exploring Nial
Nearby Names Like Nial
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nial
Niall Boy
#1576 2,094 births
Niam Boy
#1443 1,798 births
Nian Boy
11 births
Nia Boy
10 births
Niamke Boy
7 births
Compare Nial side by side: Nial vs Niall Nial vs Niam Nial vs Nian
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Nial
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, 1915–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nial: #7303 Boys' Name - 144 Births, Peak 2024." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nial. 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 Nial 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.