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Original poster

What do you think of when you hear Niall?

59 replies

Nightstar · 21/12/2010 22:15

I can't decide if i love it or not.

I think it's Irish, which is nice, and pronounced Nile rather than Neil, which would be the English version, which i'm not fond of.

Thoughts?

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oldandgreynow · 27/12/2010 12:13

makes me think of Nialls Krane too

mathanxiety · 27/12/2010 01:48

Nial (rhyming with Dial) is the English pronunciation, NEE-ul is the Irish one.

I love it. It's a really old Irish name with a long history.

MacMomo · 26/12/2010 21:31

Niall Ferguson. Brilliant economic historian. Also the accountant where I used to work was called Niall.

blueshoes · 26/12/2010 15:47

I have never heard of it (been in London 12 years) and will almost certainly pronounce it wrongly. All things being equal, why choose a name that does not work well outside of UK, possibly Ireland?

Niles, if you must.

swanandduck · 26/12/2010 14:48

Quite a popular, middle class name when I was growing up in Dublin. I like it because I knew a couple of really good looking Nialls when I was in school (unobtainable unfortunately Grin.

diddl · 26/12/2010 13:08

Like it, but prefer Niles.

Sazisi · 26/12/2010 00:37

My nephew, a Londoner with Irish roots. He's in his teens now, don't think he's ever been teased over his name.
I love it, it's gentle yet masculine.

expatinscotland · 26/12/2010 00:31

I think of an Irish person. But I am in the Scottish Western Highlands and in the past year, we have had a number of Irish men come through here to work as they were awarded a contract, so there are more than a few about.

So I would think it was one from Ireland or from the lower Western Isles, where I have also heard or known men with such a name.

Carrie06 · 25/12/2010 23:08

The guy in Frasier is Niles, not Niall. Niall is fairly common in Ireland - I think it's nice.

threefeethighandrising · 25/12/2010 23:01

I love it. I smile and think of my friend Niall when I hear it. He is the singularly most outrageous person I have met in my life, he gets away with blue murder - probably because he's very charming and a lovely guy with it.

bunnymother · 25/12/2010 04:10

Niall Ferguson

ShoshanaBlue · 25/12/2010 02:56

Great name - I would immediately think of Niall Quinn.

harvalp · 24/12/2010 14:07

And I would pronounce it Nye-al

harvalp · 24/12/2010 14:06

Irish.

DilysPrice · 24/12/2010 13:04

I know a Niall who's great, I really like it, esp given that your DH is from N Ireland, (I get all judgey about random ethnic names).

stuffedmk · 24/12/2010 13:00

My nephew lol
When first told his name I did think of Niles from Frasier but that didn't last.

Komondor · 22/12/2010 10:12

I love it.

RamblingRosa · 22/12/2010 09:06

I like it.

Secretwishescometrue · 22/12/2010 09:04

When I think of the name Niall I remember the cutest blonde haired blue eyed dimpled ikle boy who I went to small school with and by gosh he was a charmer and yep we're Irish Grin Neil pronounced like kneel would be the gaelic version as far as I know, I always thought it was anyways... Lovely name imo

LunarSeasonsGreetings · 22/12/2010 08:33

Irish, but traditional (and managable for non Irish speakers) rather than trendy Irish.

happysunshinedays · 22/12/2010 08:27

Niall off Frasier.

KenDoddsDadsDogEatsTinsel · 22/12/2010 06:28

The most fabulous man on earth Niall Quinn.
I'm in Sunderland so lots of little Nialls here.

florilegia · 21/12/2010 23:12

You can pronounce it "Neil" too: it's my uncle's name (Scottish, Gaelic-speaking family). I quite like it :)

Blackletterday · 21/12/2010 23:09

A big bloke I used to work with in a Hospital, oddly he used to walk miles and miles to work. Nice enough, solid, stoic.