52%RatingSave Gender Masculine & Feminine Usage English (Rare) Pronounced Pron. NEE-lee [key·IPA] Meaning & History From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized and reduced form of Gaelic Mac an Fhilidh (or McNeilly) meaning "son of the poet". PopularityDetails Last ranked #884 in 1890 United States Categories bass guitarists, occupations, rare English, surnames