Neeley
An English surname derived from a place name meaning "dweller by the nigh lea".
Name Census estimates that about 395 living Americans carry the first name Neeley. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Neeley today is around 31 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Neeley births was 1982 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Neeley. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
395
~ 1 in 867,733 Americans
Peak year
1982
19 babies that year
Average age
31
years old
2024 SSA rank
#14,728
Tracked since 1968
Popularity
Neeley: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Neeley from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 102 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Neeley by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Neeley during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Neeley
The name Neeley has its origins in the Gaelic language, which was spoken in Ireland and Scotland. It is derived from the Gaelic word "neidhleidh," which means "champion" or "hero." This name has been in use since the Middle Ages, and it was particularly popular among the Celtic tribes of Ireland and Scotland.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Neeley can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The Annals mention a warrior named Neeley who fought in the Battle of Clontarf in 1014 AD. This battle was a significant event in Irish history, as it marked the end of Viking rule in Ireland.
In the 12th century, the name Neeley appeared in the Lebor Gabála Érenn (The Book of Invasions), an important collection of Irish mythology and folklore. According to this text, Neeley was the name of a mythological hero who fought against the invading Milesians.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Neeley. One of the most famous was Neeley O'Brien (1769-1857), an Irish revolutionary who fought for Irish independence during the Rebellion of 1798. Another notable figure was Neeley McGuire (1835-1909), a Scottish-American businessman who co-founded the McGuire Brothers Saloon in San Francisco, which became a popular gathering place for writers and artists.
In the 19th century, Neeley Corse (1835-1905) was a Union Army officer who served in the American Civil War. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery during the Battle of Williamsburg in 1862. Another notable Neeley was Neeley Vaughan (1881-1966), an American artist and illustrator who was known for his depictions of the American West.
Finally, Neeley Jones (1939-2005) was an American actress and singer who appeared in several Broadway musicals and television shows. She was best known for her role as Louise Goddard in the sitcom "Good Times."
People
Neeley + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Neeley as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Neeley: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Neeley?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 395 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Neeley going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 867,733 US residents.
Is Neeley a common name?
We classify Neeley as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 412 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Neeley most popular?
The single biggest year for Neeley was 1982, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Neeley is about 31 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Neeley a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Neeley in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.