Nigel 2255284 224032432 2008-07-07T00:38:09Z Lightbot 7178666 Units/dates/other {{Infobox Given Name | name = Nigel | gender = male | region = | origin = England | footnotes = }} '''Nigel''' is a masculine name of [[England|English]] origin and is another form of the name ''[[Neil]]'', which is more commonly used. The origin of the name is unusual, as it comes from the form [[medieval]] scribes writing in Latin used to "translate" Neil, and the "g" in the name comes from wrongly associating it with the [[Latin]] word ''niger'', "black". Nigel only began to be used as a separate name from Neil in the 19th century.<ref>(Hanks and Hodges, 1990. ''A dictionary of first names.'' New York: Oxford University Press</ref> Nigel was a common name for boys born in [[England]] and Wales during the 1960s and 1970s. Nigel has never been as common in other countries, but has been among the thousand most common names for boys born in the USA since 1971, with its highest ranking on the Social Security Administration's list being #477 in 1994.<ref>[http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/ Popular baby names<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> As a name, Nigel is often satirically assigned in comedy sketches to anyone of a UK origin.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} "Noddy" is also the common nickname for someone named "Nigel."{{Fact|date=February 2007}} ==Famous men named Nigel== *[[Nigel, Bishop of Ely]] (died 1169), Anglo-Norman bishop *[[Nigel Ayers]], multimedia artist *[[Nigel Barker (photographer)|Nigel Barker]], fashion photographer *[[Nigel Benn]], boxer *[[Nigel Bennett]], actor, director, and writer *[[Nigel Bruce]], actor *[[Nigel Clough]], British football player *[[Nigel Dick]], director, writer, and musician *[[Nigel Evans]], British politician *[[Nigel Godrich]], recording engineer and record producer *[[Nigel Gresley]], Steam locomotive engineer *[[Nigel Havers]], actor *[[Nigel Hawthorne]], actor *[[Nigel Holmes]], graphic designer *[[Nigel Wakeley]], Strokes fan *[[Nigel Irens]], yacht designers *[[Nigel Keay]], violist and composer *[[Nigel Kennedy]], violinist and violist *[[Nigel Kneale]], scriptwriter *[[Nigel Lawson]], British politician, Chancellor of the Exchequer *[[Nigel de Longchamps]], 12th-century English poet *[[Nigel Lythgoe]] English television, film director and producer *[[Nigel Mansell]], British racing car driver *[[Nigel Martyn]], British football goalkeeperi *[[Nigel Marven]], famous British wildlife presenter, television producer, author, and hobby ornithologist *[[Nigel McGuinness]], Professional Wrestler *[[Nigel Mitchell]], British television presenter and radio presenter *[[Nigel Olsson]], drummer for Elton John, solo recording artist *[[Nigel Planer]], actor *[[Nigel Short]], chess player *[[Nigel Sit]], On9 From Philippines *[[Nigel Smart]], Australian football (soccer) player *[[Nigel Stock]], actor who played Dr Watson *Nigel Tufnel, lead guitarist for the fictional band [[Spinal Tap]] *[[Nigel Morris]],learing mentor from Norton *Nigel st, pen name of [[Rupert Allason]] *[[Nigel Crosscombe]], An Canadian Musician famous for his hit song , "Victims Of Gravity" *[[Nigel Pivaro]], An English actor famous for his role as Terry Duckworth in ''Coronation Street''. *[[Nigel Reo-Coker]], An English footballer currently playing for Aston Villa *Sir [[Nigel Thornberry#Main_characters|Nigel Thornberry]], wildlife documentary producer *[[Nigel Johnston]], world famous homicide detective == References == <references /> Nigel Johnston; world famous homicide detective Nigel Benchoff; Texan, Soldier, Nurse [[Category:Given names]] [[Category:English given names]] {{name-stub}} [[de:Nigel]] [[fr:Nigel]] [[pl:Nigel]]