Niall is a male given name of Irish origin. The original meaning of the name is unknown,[1] but popular modern sources have suggested that it means "champion" (derived from the Old Irish word niadh).[2] According to John Ryan, Professor of Early and Medieval History at University College Dublin, Niall "seems to be so ancient that its meaning was lost before records began."[1]
| Pronunciation | /ˈnaɪ(ə)l/, /niːl/ Irish: [n̠ʲiəl̪ˠ] |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Origin | |
| Language(s) | Irish |
| Meaning | Unknown |
| Region of origin | Ireland |
| Other names | |
| Related names |
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Notable people with the name Niall
edit- Medieval times
- Niall of the Nine Hostages, High King of Ireland who lived in the early-to-mid 5th century AD
- Niall Caille, High King of Ireland in the 9th century AD
- Modern times
- Niall Carolan (b. 2002), Irish Gaelic footballer
- Niall Ferguson (b. 1964), Historian and the Laurence A. Tisch Professor of History at Harvard University[3]
- Niall Horan (b. 1993), a member of the British-Irish boy band One Direction[4]
- Niall Mackenzie (b. 1961), Scottish former professional motorcycle road racer
- Niall Matter (b. 1980), Canadian actor
- Niall McCready, Irish Gaelic footballer
- Niall McGinn (b. 1987), Northern Irish footballer
- Niall Moran (b. 1983), Irish hurler
- Niall O'Brien (b. 1981), Irish cricketer
- Niall O'Donnell (b. 1998), Irish Gaelic footballer
- Niall Quinn (b. 1966), Irish former international footballer and chairman of the English club Sunderland A.F.C.
Fictional characters
- Niall, a Circle Mage from Dragon Age: Origins
- Hunter Niall from Sweep
- Niall Brigant from The Southern Vampire Mysteries
- Niall MacDonnell from the Honorverse
- Niall Rafferty from Hollyoaks
- Niall from Xenoblade Chronicles 2
- Pedron Niall from The Wheel of Time
- Commander Niall from Elden Ring
See also
edit- List of Irish language given names
- Neil, Nigel, probable cognates through Norse, medieval Latin and Anglo-Norman borrowings.
References
edit- ^ a b MacLysaght, Edward (1964). A Guide to Irish Surnames. Helicon. p. 15.
- ^ The Neill Surname
- ^ "Niall Ferguson - Biography". Archived from the original on 2018-07-20. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
- ^ Niall Horan at IMDb
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