Oneil

♂ Boy

Pronounced oh-NEEL /oʊˈnil/Medium

Meaning: From the Irish surname O'Neill — 'descendant of Niall', a name variously 'a champion; passionate; cloud'Low

In 30 seconds: Descendant of Niall (of the champion): Oneil is an Irish surname. Crisp, classic, and warm (said 'oh-NEEL').

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Origin LowIrish, Gaelic

MeaningFrom the Irish surname O'Neill — 'descendant of Niall', a name variously 'a champion; passionate; cloud'

U.S. rank (2025)#10405 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births7 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1924

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,756

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Oneil comes from the Irish surname O'Neill — 'descendant of Niall', a name variously 'a champion; passionate; cloud'. A crisp, classic name (said 'oh-NEEL').

In the U.S. and Caribbean it appears as a surname-turned-given-name. Rare, descendant-of-Niall at the root, and crisp.

Did you know? Oneil (O'Neill) is an Irish surname, 'descendant of Niall' (variously 'a champion; passionate') — a crisp, classic name (said 'oh-NEEL').

Overall data confidence 36%

References — O'Neill — Irish surname

Variations

O'NeilOneillO'Neill

Nicknames

Neil

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Oneil…

Neil— the root name

Niall— the source name

Nolan— a sound-adjacent Gaelic boys' name

Donnell— a fellow Gaelic surname name

Explore names like Oneil

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Oneil mean?

Oneil (O'Neill) is an Irish surname, 'descendant of Niall' (variously 'a champion; passionate').

How do you pronounce Oneil?

It's said oh-NEEL /oʊˈnil/ — two syllables, stress on the second.

Is Oneil a boy or girl name?

Oneil is a boy's name.

How popular is Oneil?

Oneil is a very rare name in the U.S.