Nigel

maleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Nigel: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Nigel: Recorded since 1954, it reached #27 in 1969, and it stood at #676 in 2025.

5registrars recorded it
121times a registrar ranked it
72years from first to last
#27highest recorded position
29groupings it qualifies for

What stands out in Nigel's record

Held a top-100 place for 30 years running. Names by top-100 run

Region

Falling

among boys in England and Wales · 1996–2024

View as table

England and Wales · Boys rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#552
1997	#788
1998	#780
1999	#1505
2000	#794
2001	#1379
2002	#1190
2003	#710
2004	#790
2005	#747
2006	#885
2007	#902
2008	#1048
2009	#1425
2010	#1344
2011	#1600
2012	#1589
2013	#2403
2014	#2079
2015	#2319
2017	#2052
2018	#2445
2019	#2266
2021	#2493
2023	#3523
2024	#3688

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

FallingEngland and Wales · Boys

Recorded in official data among boys in Republic of Ireland in 48 of the 62 years from 1964 to 2025.

In 2014: #715 among boys in Republic of Ireland, #2079 among boys in England and Wales.

Official data from 5 national registrars across 5 regions, 1954–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1954
First recorded at #72 among boys in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1983
Highest recorded position: #27 among boys in New Zealand, in 1969 (recorded 1954–1983).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys

Nigel appears in 5 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Republic of Ireland · Boys, with 48 ranked years and 1,935 births registered; the earliest is New Zealand · Boys, from 1954.

Nigel across 5 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Nigel's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Republic of Ireland · Boys	#98 (1964)	#67 (1975)	#676 (2025)	48 of 62	1,935 (1964–2025)	128 (1975)
New Zealand · Boys	#72 (1954)	#27 (1969)	#76 (1983)	30 of 30	4,435 (1954–1983)	246 (1969)
England and Wales · Boys	#552 (1996)	#552 (1996)	#3688 (2024)	26 of 29	428 (1996–2024)	33 (2005)
New South Wales, Australia · Boys	#91 (1966)	#69 (1972)	#99 (1979)	13 of 14	1,287 (1966–1979)	134 (1972)
Northern Ireland · Boys	#271 (1997)	#220 (1999)	#277 (2000)	4 of 4	14 (1997–2000)	5 (1999)

Nigel by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Nigel in Republic of Ireland · Boys, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1960s	247	6 of 10	41
1970sbusiest	913	10 of 10	91
1980s	525	10 of 10	53
1990s	191	10 of 10	19
2000s	46	8 of 10	6
2010s	9	3 of 10	3
2020s	4	1 of 10	4

Across Republic of Ireland · Boys, the 1970s were its busiest decade, averaging 91 births a year.

Its sharpest single-year move came between 1974 and 1975, when recorded births rose by 34, from 94 to 128.

See the names Republic of Irelandhas recorded the most births with →

Nigel appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 5 regions, from 1954 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #27 in New Zealand in 1969.

Nigel's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2024	England and Wales	male	#3688	5	High	Verified
2023	England and Wales	male	#3523	5	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	male	#2493	8	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	male	#2266	9	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	male	#2445	8	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	male	#2052	11	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	male	#2319	9	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	male	#2079	10	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	male	#2403	8	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	male	#1589	15	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	male	#1600	14	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	male	#1344	18	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	male	#1425	16	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	male	#1048	24	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	male	#902	28	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	male	#885	27	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	male	#747	33	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	male	#790	27	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	male	#710	30	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	male	#1190	13	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	male	#1379	10	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	male	#794	21	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	male	#1505	8	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	male	#780	20	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	male	#788	20	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	male	#552	31	High	Verified
1979	New South Wales, Australia	male	#99	70	Insufficient	Not yet available
1977	New South Wales, Australia	male	#85	87	Insufficient	Not yet available
1976	New South Wales, Australia	male	#76	107	Insufficient	Not yet available
1975	New South Wales, Australia	male	#78	100	Insufficient	Not yet available
1974	New South Wales, Australia	male	#72	127	Insufficient	Not yet available
1973	New South Wales, Australia	male	#73	124	Insufficient	Not yet available
1972	New South Wales, Australia	male	#69	134	Insufficient	Not yet available
1971	New South Wales, Australia	male	#76	116	Insufficient	Not yet available
1970	New South Wales, Australia	male	#84	96	Insufficient	Not yet available
1969	New South Wales, Australia	male	#79	98	Insufficient	Not yet available
1968	New South Wales, Australia	male	#79	86	Insufficient	Not yet available
1967	New South Wales, Australia	male	#80	78	Insufficient	Not yet available
1966	New South Wales, Australia	male	#91	64	Insufficient	Not yet available
1983	New Zealand	male	#76	66	High	Verified
1982	New Zealand	male	#84	56	High	Verified
1981	New Zealand	male	#76	66	High	Verified
1980	New Zealand	male	#60	89	High	Verified
1979	New Zealand	male	#58	102	High	Verified
1978	New Zealand	male	#50	111	High	Verified
1977	New Zealand	male	#35	155	High	Verified
1976	New Zealand	male	#42	153	High	Verified
1975	New Zealand	male	#47	139	High	Verified
1974	New Zealand	male	#42	161	High	Verified
1973	New Zealand	male	#43	164	High	Verified
1972	New Zealand	male	#37	193	High	Verified
1971	New Zealand	male	#32	213	High	Verified
1970	New Zealand	male	#28	232	High	Verified
1969	New Zealand	male	#27	246	High	Verified
1968	New Zealand	male	#29	230	High	Verified
1967	New Zealand	male	#32	210	High	Verified
1966	New Zealand	male	#36	189	High	Verified
1965	New Zealand	male	#42	170	High	Verified
1964	New Zealand	male	#44	172	High	Verified
1963	New Zealand	male	#46	188	High	Verified
1962	New Zealand	male	#42	190	High	Verified
1961	New Zealand	male	#54	159	High	Verified
1960	New Zealand	male	#52	159	High	Verified
1959	New Zealand	male	#61	121	High	Verified
1958	New Zealand	male	#62	115	High	Verified
1957	New Zealand	male	#59	120	High	Verified
1956	New Zealand	male	#67	96	High	Verified
1955	New Zealand	male	#72	88	High	Verified
1954	New Zealand	male	#72	82	High	Verified
2000	Northern Ireland	male	#277	3	High	Verified
1999	Northern Ireland	male	#220	5	High	Verified
1998	Northern Ireland	male	#272	3	High	Verified
1997	Northern Ireland	male	#271	3	High	Verified
2025	Republic of Ireland	male	#676	4	High	Verified
2014	Republic of Ireland	male	#715	3	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	male	#730	3	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	male	#720	3	High	Verified
2009	Republic of Ireland	male	#472	6	High	Verified
2006	Republic of Ireland	male	#423	5	High	Verified
2005	Republic of Ireland	male	#403	5	High	Verified
2004	Republic of Ireland	male	#390	5	High	Verified
2003	Republic of Ireland	male	#375	5	High	Verified
2002	Republic of Ireland	male	#216	12	High	Verified
2001	Republic of Ireland	male	#317	5	High	Verified
2000	Republic of Ireland	male	#390	3	High	Verified
1999	Republic of Ireland	male	#330	4	High	Verified
1998	Republic of Ireland	male	#229	7	High	Verified
1997	Republic of Ireland	male	#203	13	High	Verified
1996	Republic of Ireland	male	#180	16	High	Verified
1995	Republic of Ireland	male	#178	15	High	Verified
1994	Republic of Ireland	male	#192	11	High	Verified
1993	Republic of Ireland	male	#138	27	High	Verified
1992	Republic of Ireland	male	#138	29	High	Verified
1991	Republic of Ireland	male	#123	37	High	Verified
1990	Republic of Ireland	male	#132	32	High	Verified
1989	Republic of Ireland	male	#122	35	High	Verified
1988	Republic of Ireland	male	#122	36	High	Verified
1987	Republic of Ireland	male	#107	46	High	Verified
1986	Republic of Ireland	male	#88	67	High	Verified
1985	Republic of Ireland	male	#107	48	High	Verified
1984	Republic of Ireland	male	#113	45	High	Verified
1983	Republic of Ireland	male	#96	59	High	Verified
1982	Republic of Ireland	male	#98	61	High	Verified
1981	Republic of Ireland	male	#103	56	High	Verified
1980	Republic of Ireland	male	#92	72	High	Verified
1979	Republic of Ireland	male	#78	101	High	Verified
1978	Republic of Ireland	male	#84	81	High	Verified
1977	Republic of Ireland	male	#84	83	High	Verified
1976	Republic of Ireland	male	#76	102	High	Verified
1975	Republic of Ireland	male	#67	128	High	Verified
1974	Republic of Ireland	male	#74	94	High	Verified
1973	Republic of Ireland	male	#93	81	High	Verified
1972	Republic of Ireland	male	#91	76	High	Verified
1971	Republic of Ireland	male	#75	97	High	Verified
1970	Republic of Ireland	male	#88	70	High	Verified
1969	Republic of Ireland	male	#93	58	High	Verified
1968	Republic of Ireland	male	#85	55	High	Verified
1967	Republic of Ireland	male	#94	41	High	Verified
1966	Republic of Ireland	male	#110	27	High	Verified
1965	Republic of Ireland	male	#99	35	High	Verified
1964	Republic of Ireland	male	#98	31	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
New South Wales, Australia hub — collected by NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages
New Zealand hub — collected by NZ Department of Internal Affairs
Northern Ireland hub — collected by NISRA
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 5 registrars between 1954 and 2025, ranked in 69 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #27, first reached in 1969.

It held a top-100 place in 31 years, 30 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 246 births, registered in New Zealand in 1969.

Its record falls into 4 separate stretches, with a longest absence of 1 year.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1964, and 43 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Niels · #201, 68y
Nieve · #351, 29y
Nihaal · #1322, 22y
Nihal · #692, 28y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 5 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Trevor · #27, 74y
Aleksander · #26, 65y
Andre · #26, 74y
Jeffrey · #30, 73y

Also first recorded in the 1950s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1950 and 1959.

Gillian · #27, 68y
Trevor · #27, 74y
Aleksander · #26, 65y
Andre · #26, 74y

Nigel was ranked #27 in New Zealand · Boys in 1969. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Nigel and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,573 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Nigel without appearing here.

Nigel moved ahead of

Graham Compare
In 2023 they stood at #3523 and #1533 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2024 that had become #3688 and #5119.
Glenn Compare
In 2013 they stood at #2403 and #2403 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2014 that had become #2079 and #2964.
Courtney Compare
In 2013 they stood at #2403 and #2403 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2014 that had become #2079 and #2690.
Brett Compare
In 2023 they stood at #3523 and #3523 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2024 that had become #3688 and #4270.

Moved ahead of Nigel

Matheo Compare
In 2022 they stood at #2493 and #3017 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2023 that had become #3523 and #1363.
Isak Compare
In 2022 they stood at #2493 and #3451 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2023 that had become #3523 and #1461.
Geoffrey Compare
In 2023 they stood at #3523 and #4107 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2024 that had become #3688 and #2443.
Conan Compare
In 2012 they stood at #1589 and #1962 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2013 that had become #2403 and #1294.

Moved the opposite way to Nigel

Alexander Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Nigel went from #98 to #676 while Alexander went from #116 to #55.
Conor Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Nigel went from #98 to #676 while Conor went from #56 to #16.
Liam Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Nigel went from #98 to #676 while Liam went from #54 to #7.
Luke Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Nigel went from #98 to #676 while Luke went from #105 to #23.

Moved the same way as Nigel

Adrian Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Nigel went from #98 to #676 and Adrian from #65 to #348.
Alfred Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Nigel went from #98 to #676 and Alfred from #134 to #286.
Denis Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Nigel went from #98 to #676 and Denis from #21 to #232.
Edward Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Nigel went from #98 to #676 and Edward from #18 to #125.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 5 regions, from 1954 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #27 in New Zealand in 1969. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

Nigel

Nigel at a glance

What stands out in Nigel's record

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Nigel across 5 official records

Nigel by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Nigel appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1950s

Names published alongside Nigel

Nigel and the names beside it

Nigel moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Nigel

Moved the opposite way to Nigel

Moved the same way as Nigel

Nigel at a glance

What stands out in Nigel's record

Nigel across 5 official records

Nigel by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Nigel appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1950s

Names published alongside Nigel

Nigel and the names beside it

Nigel moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Nigel

Moved the opposite way to Nigel

Moved the same way as Nigel