Neal ( Neil) is a given masculine name and surname of Gaelic and Irish origin. The name is an Anglicisation of the Irish Niall which is of disputed derivation. The Irish name may be derived from words meaning "cloud", "passionate", "victory", "honour" or "champion". As a surname, Neil is traced back to

Niall of the Nine Hostages Niall ''Noígíallach'' (; Old Irish "having nine hostages"), or Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a legendary, semi-historical Irish king who was the ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties that dominated Ireland from the 6th to the 10th centuries. ...

who was an Irish king and eponymous ancestor of the Uí Néill and MacNeil kindred. Most authorities cite the meaning of Neal in the context of a surname as meaning champion.

Surname

Abbie Neal Esther "Abbie" Neal (April 4, 1918-February 15, 2004) was an American musician whose career in country music lasted more than 50 years. Early years One of eight children, Neal was the daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Carlton M. Neal of Baxter, Pennsylvan ...

(1918–2004), American country music entertainer *

Adam Neal Adam "Nealo" Neal (born 21 May 1990) is a former English professional rugby league footballer who last played for Oldham ( Heritage № 1338) in Betfred League 1. Neal's position of choice is as a . Background Neal was born in Irlam, near Sal ...

(born 1990), English rugby league player *

Alice B. Neal Alice Bradley Neal (September 13, 1828 – August 23, 1863) was a 19th-century United States, American writer. She wrote under many names and aliases, including Alice G. Lee, Alice B. Neal, Clara Cushman, Mrs. Joseph C. Neal and Alice B. Haven. ...

(1828–1863), American writer * Arthur Neal (1903–1982), English footballer *

Blaine Neal Blaine Neal (born April 6, 1978) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. Neal played with the Florida Marlins (–), San Diego Padres (), Boston Red Sox (), and Colorado Rockies (2005) of Major League Baseball (MLB). He ba ...

(born 1978), American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball * Bob Neal (Atlanta sportscaster) (born 1942), American sports broadcaster * Bob Neal (Cleveland sportscaster) (1916–1983), American sports broadcaster *

Charles Lincoln Neal Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was "f ...

(also known as "Link") (see

Rhett & Link Rhett James McLaughlin (born October 11, 1977) and Charles Lincoln "Link" Neal III (born June 1, 1978) are an American comedy duo. Self-styled as "Internetainers" (a portmanteau of "Internet" and "entertainers"), they are known for creating and ...

) (born 1978), American internet personality * Charlie Neal (1931–1996), American baseball player *

Chris Neal Christopher Michael Neal (born 23 October 1985) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for club AFC Fylde. He began his career at Preston North End, making his English Football League debut in February 2005, havin ...

(born 1985), English football goalkeeper * Daniel Neal (1678–1743), British historian * David Dalhoff Neal (1838–1915), American artist, father of Max Neal * Diane Neal (born 1976), American actress and political candidate * Dylan Neal (born 1969), Canadian actor * Edwin Neal (born 1945), American actor * Elise Neal (born 1966), American actress * Eric Neal (born 1924), Australian businessman * Evan Neal (born 2000), American football player * Frederick "Curly" Neal (1942–2020), American basketball player * Gary Neal (born 1984), American basketball player * Jackie Neal (1967–2005), American blues singer * James Neal (disambiguation) * Jeff Neal (born 1969), American drummer * John Neal (disambiguation) * Joseph Neal (1950–2017), American politician * Keanu Neal (born 1995), American football player * Kenny Neal (born 1957), American blues musician *

Larry Neal Larry Neal or Lawrence Neal (September 5, 1937 – January 6, 1981) was a scholar of African-American theatre. He is well known for his contributions to the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. He was a major influence in pushing for black ...

(1937–1981), American author * Lorenzo Neal (born 1970), American football player * Matt Neal (born 1966), British racing driver *

Max Neal Maximilian Dalhoff Neal (26 March 1865 – 1 January 1941) was a German playwright, born to the artist David Dalhoff Neal and wife Marie Ainmiller, and later brother to composer Heinrich Neal. His maternal grandfather was the great glass painter M ...

(1865–1941), German playwright, son of David Dalhoff Neal * Patricia Neal (1926–2010), Academy Award-winning American actress * Patricia Neal (known as Fannie Flagg) (born 1944), American novelist and actress * Phil Neal (born 1951), English footballer * Philip Neal, New York City Ballet principal dancer * Raful Neal (1936–2004), American blues singer * Rajion Neal (born 1992), American football player * Richard Neal (born 1949), Democratic Representative representing Massachusetts' 2nd congressional district *

Ryan Neal Ryan Christopher Neal (born December 24, 1995) is an American football strong safety for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Southern Illinois. College career Neal played four seasons at Sou ...

(born 1995), American football player * Scott Neal (born 1978), British actor *

Shay Neal Shay Neal (born 4 June 1990) is a New Zealand field hockey player. He represented his country at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where the men's team came seventh. His sister Brooke Brooke may refer to: People * Brooke (given n ...

(born 1990), New Zealand field hockey player *

Siran Neal Siran De'Vonte' Neal (born August 4, 1994) is an American football cornerback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Jacksonville State Gamecocks, Jacksonville State and was drafted by the Bill ...

(born 1994), American football player *

Stephen Neal Stephen Matthew Neal (born October 9, 1976) is a former American football guard who played his entire career for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He is a former world champion in freestyle wrestling and two-time NCAA nat ...

(born 1976), American football player * Stephen L. Neal (born 1934), former North Carolina Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives (1975–1995). * Tom Neal (1914–1972), American actor * Ty Neal, American college baseball coach * William Neal (born 1947), English painter and graphic designer

Given name

* Neal Adams (born 1941), American comic book artist * Neal Ardley (born 1972), English footballer and manager of AFC Wimbledon * Neal Baer (born 1955), American pediatrician and television writer and producer * Neal Boortz (born 1945), American radio host * Neal Brennan (born 1973), American writer, stand-up comedian, actor, director and producer *

Neal Carter Neal Marshall Carter (December 12, 1902 – March 3, 1978) was a Canadian marine biologist, cartographer, photographer, mountaineer and surveyor. He is most famous for his explorations in British Columbia, especially in the Coast Mountains where ...

(1902–1978), Canadian mountaineer * Neal Casal (1968–2019), American guitarist, singer, songwriter and photographer *

Neal Cassady Neal Leon Cassady (February 8, 1926 – February 4, 1968) was a major figure of the Beat Generation of the 1950s and the psychedelic and counterculture movements of the 1960s. He was prominently featured as himself in the "scroll" (first d ...

(1926–1968), American beatnik who was the basis for

Jack Kerouac Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac (; March 12, 1922 – October 21, 1969), known as Jack Kerouac, was an American novelist and poet who, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, was a pioneer of the Beat Generation. Of French-Canadian a ...

's character Dean Moriarty * Neal Marlens (born c. 1955/1956), American television producer, creator of The Wonder Years * Neal McDonough (born 1966), American actor and producer *

Neal H. Moritz Neal H. Moritz (born June 6, 1959) is an American film producer and founder of Original Film. He has produced over 70 major motion pictures which have grossed a total of over $11 billion worldwide as of 2021. He is best known for the ''Fast & Fu ...

(born 1959), American film producer * Neal Morse (born 1960), American singer and multi-instrumentalist musician and composer *

Neal Nelson Neal Nelson is a basketball, tennis, and golf coach, as well as an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin–Waukesha. He is most well known for his basketball coaching accomplishments, such as a career at UW-Waukesha with over 500 w ...

, American basketball, tennis and golf coach and professor * Neal Patterson (1949–2017), American businessman * Neal Purvis (see Neal Purvis and Robert Wade) (born 1961), British screenwriter * Neal Shapiro (born 1945), American equestrian and Olympic medalist * Neal Schon (born 1954), American rock guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist * Neal Shusterman (born 1962), American writer of young-adult fiction *

Neal Stephenson Neal Town Stephenson (born October 31, 1959) is an American writer known for his works of speculative fiction. His novels have been categorized as science fiction, historical fiction, cyberpunk, postcyberpunk, and baroque. Stephenson's work exp ...

(born 1959), American writer * Neal Walk (1948–2015), American basketball center * Neal Watlington (1922–2019), American Major League Baseball player

Places

Neal, Georgia Neal is an unincorporated community in Pike County, in the U.S. state of Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Ge ...

, a community in the United States * Neal, Illinois, a community in the United States *

Neal, Kansas Neal is an unincorporated community in eastern Greenwood County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the community and nearby areas was 37. It is located approximately 10 miles east of the city of Eureka along U.S. ...

, a community in the United States *

Neal, Michigan Long Lake Township, officially the Charter Township of Long Lake, is a charter township of Grand Traverse County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 9,956 at the 2020 census, an increase from 8,662 at the 2010 census. Long Lake T ...

, a community in the United States *

Neal, West Virginia Neal is an unincorporated community located in Wayne County, West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geograph ...

, a community in the United States

Surname

Given name

Places

See also