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Neil (Neal) is a masculine given name of Gaelic 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", or "champion".〔.〕 As a surname, Neil is traced back to Niall of the Nine Hostages who was an Irish king and eponymous ancestor of the Uí Néill and MacNeil kindred. Most authorities cite the meaning of Neil in the context of a surname as meaning ''champion''. ==Origins== The Gaelic name was adopted by the Vikings and taken to Iceland as ''Njáll'' (see Nigel). From Iceland it went via Norway, Denmark, and Normandy to England.〔P H Reaney, A Dictionary of British Surnames, Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1976, London.〕 It was first mistakenly being translated into Latin as Nigellus from Niger, meaning ''black''. The name also entered Northern England and Yorkshire directly from Ireland, and from Norwegian settlers. ''Neal'' or ''Neall'' is the Middle English form of ''Nigel''. As a first name, during the Middle Ages, the Gaelic name was popular in Ireland and Scotland. During the 20th century ''Neil'' began to be used in England and North America, and grew in popularity throughout the English-speaking world; however, in England, it has recently been eclipsed by the Gaelic form.〔 The surname ''Neil'' is a reduced form of the surname ''McNeil'' (from the Gaelic ''Mac Néill'', "son of ''Niall''"), or variant form the surname of Neill (from the Irish ''Ó Néill'' or the Scottish Gaelic ''Mac Néill'', meaning "descendant of ''Niall''" and "son of ''Niall''".〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Neil Name Meaning and History ) For the etymology of the surname ''Neil'' this web page cites: ''Dictionary of American Family Names'', Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4.〕〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Neill Name Meaning and History ) For the etymology of the surname ''Neill'' this web page cites: ''Dictionary of American Family Names'', Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4.〕〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=McNeil Name Meaning and History ) For the etymology of the surname ''McNeil'' this web page cites: ''Dictionary of American Family Names'', Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4.〕 The name passed from Ireland to Scotland where it had the ''Mc/Mac'' prefix. Some Scottish McNeill's returned to Ireland in the 14th century and are associated with ''MacNeill'', ''MacGreal'', ''MacReill'', and ''Mag Reil'' surnames.〔Edward MacLysaght, More Irish Family Names, Irish Academic Press, 1996, Dublin〕 The Manx version of the name is ''Kneal'' (1598), ''Kneale'' (1655), or ''Kneel'' (1636). It evolved from McNelle (1408) and MacNeyll (1430) becoming Kneal by 1598.〔A W Moore, Manx Names, London 1903〕 The name is believed to have been brought to the island by Norwegian Vikings. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Neil」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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