The first name Nigel
A boy’s name from Latin meaning “slightly black”, “black”.
Pronounced /ˈnaɪd͡ʒəl/ 2 syllables Male
Meaning and origin
Latin origin
Nigel means “slightly black”, “black” in Latin.
English form of Latin Nigellus, from nigellus (“slightly black”), diminutive of niger (“black”), used in the Middle Ages to Latinize Norman Néel and Old Irish Níall, from which the former is derived via Old Norse Njáll. Compare Neil.
More names that mean black.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 5 boys were named Nigel, making it the 3,684th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2005, with 33 births (#747).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Nigel with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Nigel at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 71 boys born in the United States were named Nigel, the 2,088th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1994, when 448 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Nicknames for Nigel
- Nige
Famous people named Nigel
77 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Nigel MansellBritish racing driver (born 1953)
- Nigel de JongDutch association football player (born 1984)
- Nigel ShortEnglish chess player and writer, born 1965
- Nigel HawthorneBritish actor (1929–2001)
- Nigel Reo-CokerEnglish association football player (born 1984)
- Nigel KennedyBritish-born violinist and violist (born 1956)
- Nigel BruceBritish actor (1895-1953)
- Nigel LawsonBritish peer and politician (1932–2023)
- Nigel MartynEnglish footballer (born 1966)
- Nigel PearsonEnglish association football player and manager (born 1963)
- Nigel GodrichEnglish record producer and sound engineer, born 1971
- Nigel CloughEnglish association football player and manager, born 1966
More Latin boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Nigel mean?
- Nigel means “slightly black”, “black” in Latin.
- What is the origin of the name Nigel?
- English form of Latin Nigellus, from nigellus (“slightly black”), diminutive of niger (“black”), used in the Middle Ages to Latinize Norman Néel and Old Irish Níall, from which the former is derived via Old Norse Njáll. Compare Neil.
- How popular is the name Nigel?
- In 2025, 5 boys born in England and Wales were named Nigel, ranking 3,684th. Its peak was 2005, with 33 births.
- What are nicknames for Nigel?
- Common nicknames for Nigel include Nige.
- Is Nigel a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 12,371 US babies named Nigel since 1880 were boys.
- When was Nigel most popular?
- 1994 in the United States, when 448 babies were named Nigel, its highest rank at 478th.
- How do you pronounce Nigel?
- Nigel is /ˈnaɪd͡ʒəl/, 2 syllables.