Neal (Neil) is a surname and a masculine given name of Gaelic origin. The name is an Anglicisation of the Gaelic Niall which is of disputed derivation. The Gaelic 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 Neal in the context of a surname as meaning champion.
SurnameAdam Neal, English rugby league playerAlice B. Neal, American writerBlaine Neal (born 1978), American relief pitcher in Major League BaseballBob Neal (Atlanta sportscaster), American sports broadcasterCharles Lincoln 'Link' Neal (see Rhett and Link) American internet personalityCharlie Neal, American baseball playerChris Neal, English football goalkeeperDaniel Neal, British historianDavid Dalhoff Neal, American artist, father of Max NealDiane Neal, American actressDylan Neal, Canadian actorEdwin Neal, American actorElise Neal, American actressEric Neal, Australian businessmanGary Neal, American basketball playerJackie Neal, American blues singerJames Neal (disambiguation)Jeff Neal, American drummerJohn Neal (disambiguation)Joseph Neal (1950-2017), American politicianKenny Neal, American blues musicianLarry Neal, American authorLorenzo Neal, American football playerMatt Neal, British racing driverMax Neal (1865–1941), German playwright, son of David Dalhoff NealPatricia Neal (1926-2010), Academy Award winning American actressPatricia Neal (known as Fannie Flagg) (born 1944), American novelist and actressPhil Neal, English footballerPhilip Neal, New York City Ballet principal dancerRaful Neal, American blues singerRichard Neal, Democratic Representative representing Massachusetts' 2nd congressional districtScott Neal, British actorShay Neal (born 1990), New Zealand field hockey playerStephen Neal, American football playerStephen L. Neal (born 1934), former North Carolina Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives (1975–1995).Tom Neal (1914–1972), American actorTy Neal, American college baseball coachWilliam Neal (born 1947), English painter and graphic designerGiven nameNeal Ardley, Manager of AFC WimbledonNeal Morse, American singer and multi-instrumentalistNeal Brennan, American writer, stand-up comedian, actor, director and producerNeal Cassady, American, Beatnick, basis for Jack Kerouac novels and the character Dean Moriarty, friend of the Grateful Dead and legendNeal Marlens, Television producer, creator of The Wonder YearsNeal Stephenson, American writerNeal Walk, American, National Basketball Association centerPlacesNeal, Kansas, a community in the United StatesNeal, West Virginia