Total births
1,757
Boys' name · since 1892
Oneil
Since 1892, U.S. Social Security records show 1,757 babies named Oneil, peaking in 1924. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #8342
- among boys today
- 1,757
- born since 1892
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 42%
- more common than other boys
Oneil currently ranks #8342 among boys' names in America, with 1,757 babies recorded since 1892.
Social Security Administration records show Oneil recorded 1,757 times among boys since 1892, holding rank #8342 nationally today, ahead of 42% of boys, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1892 to 2025.
- #8342 among boys today
- 1,757 born since 1892
- 1920s peak decade
- 42% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Oneil is currently the #8342 boys' name in America, more common than 42% of boys - 1,757 born since 1892, peaking in the 1920s.
- #8342
- among boys today
- 1,757
- born since 1892
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 42%
- more common than other boys
Oneil vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#8342
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 42% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
15% of everyone ever named Oneil was born in this single decade.
1924
Single peak year
38 babies were named Oneil in 1924 - its busiest year on record.
How Oneil compares
1,757 Top 23% higher than 77% 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
Oneil's all-time total is 5x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Oneil | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,757 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 38 | 23 | 22,252 |
Oneil's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Oneil's SSA record in two at 1967 and the more recent half accounts for 46% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 54%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1892, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1924 peak of 38, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Oneil at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1924
Current rank
#8,342
Active since
1892
Oneil popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1892–2025
- Peak year (1924)
- 38
- Annual births at peak, across 134 years of records
Oneil popularity over time - girls
17 total births recorded since 1915 (Oneil as girls' name)
Oneil by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Oneil's strongest decade.
264 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 15% of all-time use.
Oneil births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 5
1890s
5 births
- 1910s
1910s
115 births
- 1920s
1920s
264 births
- 1930s
1930s
185 births
- 1940s
1940s
171 births
- 1950s
1950s
142 births
- 1960s 85
1960s
85 births
- 1970s 83
1970s
83 births
- 1980s
1980s
149 births
- 1990s
1990s
198 births
- 2000s
2000s
189 births
- 2010s
2010s
125 births
- 2020s 46
2020s
46 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 264 births (15% of all-time use).
How Oneil 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 Oneil's total volume
Oneil vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Oneil by state
Where Oneil concentrates geographically, total births since 1892
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 177 | 10.1% |
| #2 | Louisiana | | 144 | 8.2% |
| #3 | South Carolina | | 15 | 0.9% |
| #4 | Florida | | 12 | 0.7% |
| #5 | Maine | | 6 | 0.3% |
| #6 | North Carolina | | 5 | 0.3% |
New York share of Oneil's total US births 10.1%
Even split
177 of 1,757 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 6 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Oneil? ▼
1,757 babies have been named Oneil since 1892. It currently ranks #8342 among boys. The peak year was 1924 with 38 births.
When was Oneil most popular? ▼
Oneil was most popular in the 1920s decade with 264 total births. The single peak year was 1924.
Where is Oneil most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Oneil are New York (177 births), Louisiana (144 births), South Carolina (15 births).
How long has the name Oneil been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Oneil since 1892 -- 134 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Oneil? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Oneal, Onesimo, Oney, Oneill, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Oneil's data
- Oneil's decade-level peak was the 1920s (264 total births); usage has since declined to 46 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Oneils (177 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Oneil
Nearby Names Like Oneil
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Oneil
Oneal Boy
#6489 3,049 births
Onesimo Boy
594 births
Oney Boy
109 births
Oneill Boy
87 births
Onesimus Boy
50 births
Compare Oneil side by side: Oneil vs Oneal Oneil vs Onesimo Oneil vs Oney
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Oneil
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, 1892–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Oneil: #8342 Boys' Name - 1,757 Births, Peak 1924." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/oneil. 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 Oneil 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.