Nigell
A masculine name of uncertain origin, potentially derived from Latin "nigellus" meaning "little black one".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Nigell. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Nigell today is around 33 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nigell births was 1992 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nigell. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Nigell. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1992
6 babies that year
Average age
33
years old
1992 SSA rank
#8,154
Tracked since 1992
Popularity
Nigell: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Nigell 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 Nigell during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Nigell
The name Nigell is believed to have originated from the Latin name Nigellus, which is a diminutive form of the Latin word "niger" meaning "black" or "dark." This name was likely derived from a physical characteristic, referring to someone with dark hair or a dark complexion. The name Nigell has been in use since at least the Middle Ages, primarily in England and other parts of the British Isles.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nigell can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript record of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name is listed as "Nigellus" and is associated with several landowners and tenants in the book.
In the 12th century, a notable figure named Nigell of Ely (c. 1133–1169) was a renowned English theologian, philosopher, and scholar. He served as the Bishop of Ely and wrote several influential works, including commentaries on the Bible and philosophical treatises.
During the 13th century, Nigell de Longchamp (c. 1230–1290) was a prominent English cleric and statesman who served as the Lord Chancellor of England under King Henry III. He played a significant role in the governance of the country during a turbulent period in English history.
In the 16th century, Nigell Gresley (c. 1510–1580) was an English Roman Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I for his religious beliefs. He is remembered as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales, a group of Catholic martyrs canonized by the Catholic Church.
Another notable figure with the name Nigell is Nigell Slater (born 1958), a British food writer, journalist, and broadcaster. He has authored several popular cookbooks and has been a prominent figure in the culinary world, known for his simple yet elegant cooking style and his ability to make even the most humble ingredients shine.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Nigell. While the name has its roots in the Latin language and has been in use for centuries, it has maintained a distinctive character and continues to be used to this day, particularly in the English-speaking world.
People
Nigell + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nigell 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
Nigell: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nigell?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nigell 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Nigell a common name?
We classify Nigell as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nigell most popular?
The single biggest year for Nigell was 1992, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nigell is about 33 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Nigell in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nigell a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nigell in the SSA data are male. 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.
Is Nigell still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nigell in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Nigell can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Nigell?
Want to know how many people have the name Nigell? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.