Neely
A diminutive form of the feminine name Eleanor, deriving from Old French meaning "shining light".
Name Census estimates that about 2,181 living Americans carry the first name Neely. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 84.9% of registrations being female. The average person named Neely today is around 31 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Neely births was 1974 (82 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Neely. 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.
Key insights
- • Neely started out as a boys' name but over the decades crossed over and is now given to girls far more often.
People living today
2.2K
~ 1 in 157,155 Americans
Peak year
1974
82 babies that year
Average age
31
years old
1994 SSA rank
#5,541
Tracked since 1888
Gender
Gender distribution for Neely
Neely leans heavily female at 84.9% of total registrations, but 391 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Neely as a male name
- Ranked #9,817 in 1994
- 5 male births in 1994
- Peak: 1919 (17 births)
Neely as a female name
- Ranked #5,541 in 2024
- 23 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1974 (75 births)
Popularity
Neely: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Neely from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 534 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
Neely 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 Neely during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Neelys live
The SSA's state-level files cover 14 states and territories. Texas, Tennessee, Mississippi recorded the most babies named Neely, while Oklahoma, Louisiana, Indiana recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 36 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Neely
The name Neely is believed to have its origins in the Old English language, tracing back to the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain (5th to 11th centuries). It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "neh," meaning "near" or "close by," possibly referring to someone who lived in close proximity to a specific location or landmark.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Neely can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that the name was already in use among the Anglo-Saxon population at that time.
During the Middle Ages, the name Neely appeared in various historical records and documents. In 1327, a man named Neely de Kirketon was mentioned in the Court Rolls of Bedfordshire, England. Another notable individual was Sir Neely Bacon, a prominent English landowner and military commander who lived in the 14th century.
In the realm of literature, the name Neely found its way into the works of renowned authors. In the 16th century, the English playwright William Shakespeare included a character named Neely in his play "The Two Gentlemen of Verona," written around 1594-1595.
Throughout history, several notable figures bore the name Neely. One such individual was Neely O'Hara (1823-1905), an Irish-American writer and poet who gained recognition for his works celebrating Irish culture and history. Another prominent figure was Neely Plumb (1808-1892), an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio.
In more recent times, the name Neely has been associated with individuals from various fields. Neely Bruce (1923-1992) was an American actor best known for his roles in television shows like "The Rockford Files" and "Dallas." Neely Jacobs (born 1937) is a former professional tennis player from the United States who achieved success in the 1960s.
While the name Neely may have evolved and been influenced by different cultures over time, its origins can be traced back to the Old English language and the Anglo-Saxon period, reflecting the rich linguistic heritage of Britain.
People
Neely + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Neely 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
Neely: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Neely?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,181 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Neely 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 157,155 US residents.
Is Neely a common name?
We classify Neely as "Rare". It ranks above 94% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,593 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Neely most popular?
The single biggest year for Neely was 1974, when 82 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Neely is about 31 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Neely a female name?
Yes, 84.9% of people registered as Neely 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.