Nigel

Meaning of Nigel

Nigel means "dark" or "black-haired". It comes from a Gaelic word describing hair color.

Nigel has Irish roots — browse every Irish baby name in our catalog.

Popularity of Nigel

After ranking as high as #577 in 2000, Nigel has fallen out of the US top 1,000 as of 2025.

Notable people named Nigel

• Nigel Farage
  British politician and broadcaster
• Nigel Havers
  English actor
• Nigel Barker
  English photographer and television
• Nigel Lythgoe
  Television and stage director
• Nigel Planer
  English actor and comedian

More Irish names

Questions about the name Nigel

What does the name Nigel mean?

Nigel means nigel means "dark" or "black-haired". it comes from a gaelic word describing hair color, and it comes from Irish origins.

Is Nigel a boy's or a girl's name?

Nigel is most commonly used as a boy's name in the United States.

How popular is the name Nigel?

Nigel did not appear in the top 1,000 baby names in 2025, which makes it a genuinely uncommon pick.

When was Nigel most popular?

Nigel peaked at #577 in 2000.