| Neel | Dev | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Dark blue, sapphire | God; divine |
| Origin | sanskrit | sanskrit |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | NEEL | DAYV |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| First appeared | 0 | 1969 |
| Peak year | 2009 (148) | 2009 (145) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 126 |
| Trend | Steady | Steady |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Neel | Dev |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 542 | 690 |
| 2010s | 964 | 1,188 |
| 2000s | 947 | 975 |
| 1990s | 456 | 147 |
| 1980s | 289 | 85 |
| 1970s | 119 | 56 |
| 1960s | 22 | 5 |
| 1950s | 14 | 0 |
| 1940s | 5 | 0 |
| 1930s | 5 | 0 |
| 1920s | 16 | 0 |
| 1910s | 13 | 0 |
From the Sanskrit नील (nīla), 'dark blue, indigo, sapphire'. A genuine classical colour word, also the root of 'neelam' (sapphire). Note: the similar-looking English/Irish name Neil (from Gaelic Niall) is a separate, unrelated name.
From Sanskrit deva (देव), 'god, deity, divine one', from a root meaning 'to shine'. A simple, ancient word meaning 'divine'.
Dev is more popular than Neel today: about 126 US babies were given the name Dev in 2025, compared with 0 named Neel.
Neel means Dark blue, sapphire (sanskrit origin), while Dev means God; divine (sanskrit origin).
In US records, Neel first appears in 0 and Dev in 1969, so Neel has the longer recorded history.