Niall
Niall is a male given name of Irish origin. The original meaning of the name is unknown,[1] but popular modern sources have suggested that it means "champion" (derived from the Old Irish word niadh),[2] "cloud", "passionate", or "avid".[3] According to John Ryan, Professor of Early and Medieval History at University College Dublin, Niall "seems to be so ancient that its meaning was lost before records began."[1]
Pronunciation | /ˈnaɪ(ə)l/, /niːl/ |
---|---|
Gender | Male |
Origin | |
Word/name | Irish |
Meaning | Unknown |
Region of origin | Ireland |
Other names | |
Related names | Neil, Nigel, Niallán (diminutive) |
Notable people with the name Niall
- Medieval times
- Niall of the Nine Hostages, High King of Ireland who lived in the early-to-mid 5th century AD
- Niall Caille mac Áeda, High King of Ireland in the 9th century AD
- Modern times
- Niall Ashdown (b. 1964), English comedian, actor, improvisor and writer.
- Niall Chorell (b. 1970s), Finnish tenor of Irish descent
- Niall Ferguson (b. 1964), Historian and the Laurence A. Tisch Professor of History at Harvard University[4]
- Niall Horan (b. 1993), a member of the British-Irish boy band One Direction[5]
- Niall Irwin (b. 1987), Irish footballer and coach currently playing for Oakland Roots
- Niall O'Brien (b. 1981), Irish cricketer
- Niall O'Donnell (b. 1998), Irish Gaelic footballer
- Niall Quinn (b. 1966), Irish former international footballer and chairman of the English club Sunderland A.F.C.
- Niall Moran (b. 1998), Irish hurler
- Niall Matter (b. 1980), Canadian actor
- Niall McGinn, Northern Ireland footballer for Aberdeen FC
See also
- List of Irish language given names
- Neil, Nigel, probable cognates through Norse, medieval Latin and Anglo-Norman borrowings.
References
- MacLysaght, Edward (1964). A Guide to Irish Surnames. Helicon. p. 15.
- The Neill Surname
- Name Nerds. "Traditional Irish Names". Retrieved 12 October 2013.
- Niall Ferguson - Biography
- Niall Horan at IMDb
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