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

  1. A male given name from Irish or Scottish Gaelic used in Ireland and Scotland since the Middle Ages.

References

  1. MacBain, Alexander, Mackay, Eneas (1911) “niadh”, in An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language, Stirling, →ISBN

Anagrams

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish Níall, of uncertain original meaning. Suggestions include nél (cloud) and niadh (champion).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [n̠ʲiəl̪ˠ]

Proper noun

Niall m (genitive Néill)

  1. a male given name from Old Irish

Further reading

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)

  1. a male given name from Old Irish, equivalent to English Neil

Derived terms

  • MacNèill (McNeil)
  • Niall gun chiall (gormless person)
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