Nigel
English form of Latin Nigellus, from nigellus (“slightly black”), diminutive of niger (“black”), used in the Middle Ages to Latinize Norman Néel and Old Irish Níall…
Every Nigel since 1915 — 12,371 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Nigel
Nigel is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,088 in 2025 with 71 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1915, 12,371 American babies have been named Nigel. Its peak came in 1994, when 455 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Nigel stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Nigel year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 71 | #2,088 |
| 2024 | — | — | 66 | #2,205 |
| 2023 | — | — | 73 | #2,057 |
| 2022 | — | — | 71 | #2,111 |
| 2021 | — | — | 94 | #1,735 |
| 2020 | — | — | 80 | #1,865 |
| 2019 | — | — | 108 | #1,559 |
| 2018 | — | — | 125 | #1,405 |
| 2017 | — | — | 150 | #1,227 |
| 2016 | — | — | 146 | #1,260 |
| 2015 | — | — | 173 | #1,115 |
| 2014 | — | — | 155 | #1,195 |
| 2013 | — | — | 170 | #1,094 |
| 2012 | — | — | 178 | #1,068 |
| 2011 | — | — | 194 | #1,003 |
| 2010 | — | — | 216 | #935 |
| 2009 | — | — | 249 | #859 |
| 2008 | — | — | 271 | #811 |
| 2007 | — | — | 303 | #742 |
| 2006 | — | — | 309 | #709 |
| 2005 | — | — | 276 | #735 |
| 2004 | — | — | 237 | #766 |
| 2003 | — | — | 266 | #708 |
| 2002 | — | — | 280 | #668 |
| 2001 | — | — | 305 | #623 |
| 2000 | — | — | 349 | #577 |
| 1995 | — | — | 405 | #507 |
| 1990 | — | — | 315 | #571 |
| 1985 | 6 | #10,239 | 194 | #632 |
| 1980 | — | — | 165 | #676 |
| 1975 | 7 | #7,714 | 132 | #722 |
| 1970 | — | — | 56 | #1,099 |
| 1965 | — | — | 27 | #1,504 |
| 1960 | — | — | 22 | #1,755 |
| 1955 | — | — | 26 | #1,528 |
| 1950 | — | — | 9 | #2,716 |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | 6 | #4,813 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | 5 | #4,778 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Nigel
- Nigel Mansell Racing driver · b. 1953
- Nigel Farage Politician · b. 1964
- Nigel Hawthorne Actor · 1929–2001
- Nigel Bruce Actor · 1895–1953
- Nigel de Jong Soccer player · b. 1984
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Nigel mean?
English form of Latin Nigellus, from nigellus (“slightly black”), diminutive of niger (“black”), used in the Middle Ages to Latinize Norman Néel and Old Irish Níall, from which the former is derived via Old Norse Njáll.
How popular is the name Nigel in 2025?
Nigel ranked #2,088 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 71 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Nigel?
12,371 babies have been named Nigel in the United States since 1915, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Nigel most popular?
Nigel peaked in 1994, when 455 newborns received the name.
Is Nigel a boy or girl name?
Nigel is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Nigel rising or falling?
Nigel is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Nigel?
Well-known people named Nigel include Nigel Mansell (racing driver), Nigel Farage (politician), Nigel Hawthorne (actor).