Niall
English
Etymology
Borrowed from Irish or Scottish Gaelic, ultimately from Old Irish Níall, of uncertain original meaning. Suggestions include nél (“cloud”) and niadh (“champion”), which is from Proto-Indo-European *h₃neyd- (“to revile”).[1] Doublet of Neil.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈnaɪəl/, /niːl/
- Rhymes: -aɪəl, -iːl
Proper noun
Niall
- A male given name from Irish or Scottish Gaelic used in Ireland and Scotland since the Middle Ages.
References
- MacBain, Alexander, Mackay, Eneas (1911) “niadh”, in An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language, Stirling, →ISBN
Irish
Etymology
From Old Irish Níall, of uncertain original meaning. Suggestions include nél (“cloud”) and niadh (“champion”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [n̠ʲiəl̪ˠ]
Further reading
- Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “Niall”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
Scottish Gaelic
Etymology
From Old Irish Níall, of uncertain original meaning. Suggestions include nél (“cloud”) and niadh (“champion”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈɲiaɫ̪/
Proper noun
Niall m (genitive Nèill, vocative a Nèill)
- a male given name from Old Irish, equivalent to English Neil
Derived terms
- MacNèill (“McNeil”)
- Niall gun chiall (“gormless person”)
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