Nigel

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Nigel is a boy's name of 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 ^[1]. Nigel was a common name for boys born in England and Wales during the 1960s and 1970s. Nigel has never been as common in the United States, 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. ^[2].

As a name, Nigel is often satirically assigned in comedy sketches to anyone of a British origin.^{[citation needed]}

"Noddy" is also the common nickname for someone named "Nigel."^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Famous men named Nigel

• Nigel Ayers, multimedia artist
• Nigel Benn, boxer
• Nigel Bennett, actor, director, and writer
• Nigel Bruce, actor
• Nigel Clough, British football (soccer) player
• Nigel Dick, director, writer, and musician
• Nigel Evans, British politician
• Nigel Floyd, actor
• Nigel Godrich, recording engineer and record producer
• Nigel Havers, actor
• Nigel Hawthorne, actor
• Nigel Holmes, graphic designer
• Nigel Irens, yacht designer
• Nigel Kennedy, violinist and violist
• Nigel Kneale, scriptwriter
• Nigel Lawson, British politician, Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Nigel Mansell, British racing car driver
• Nigel Martyn, British football (soccer) goalkeeper
• Nigel Planer, actor
• Nigel Short, chess player
• Nigel Smart, Australian football (soccer) player
• Nigel Stock, actor who played Dr Watson
• Nigel West, pen name of Rupert Allason
• Nigel Cook, Software Developer

[edit] References

1. ^ (Hanks and Hodges, 1990. A dictonary of first names. New York: Oxford University Press
2. ^ http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/