Nigel
Nigel was the 2088th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 71 babies. Its best year was 1994, when it ranked 478th with 448 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 973 places. More babies were named Nigel in the 1990s than in any other decade.
Meaning Not yet researched how we research meanings
- Rank in 2025
- #2,088 boys, down 223 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 71boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1994448 babies
- Total since 1880
- 12,371babies recorded
Nigel popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 85 since 1915.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,088 | 71 |
| 2020 | #1,865 | 80 |
| 2010 | #935 | 216 |
| 2000 | #577 | 349 |
| 1990 | #571 | 315 |
| 1980 | #676 | 165 |
| 1970 | #1,099 | 56 |
| 1960 | #1,755 | 22 |
| 1950 | #2,716 | 9 |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Nigel, counting every spelling?
Nigel is the most common spelling of a name family that had 71 boys in 2025 across its spellings. Together these spellings went to 71 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nigel | 71 | #2,088 | 375 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Nigel?
71 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Nigel (0.02 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Nigel born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 118 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Nigel.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Nigel?
About 11,700 people born in the US named Nigel are alive today, with a median age of 29; half are between 20 and 38. That makes Nigel mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Nigel by state
How common Nigel was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Georgia (2.0×). In 39 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Nigel: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Nigel, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Nigel
How popular is the name Nigel?
Nigel was the 2088th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 71 babies. Its best year was 1994, when it ranked 478th with 448 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 973 places. More babies were named Nigel in the 1990s than in any other decade.
Is Nigel a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Nigel in the US.
Where is Nigel most popular?
In 2021–2025, Nigel was most common in South Carolina (0.11 per 1,000 boys), followed by Georgia and Virginia.