Nilah
A girls’ name with no widely documented etymology — two syllables, given to 61 babies a year in the US.
Nilah by the numbers
In 2025, 6 babies in England and Wales were named Nilah. In the US, 61 were, though that figure is from 2017, the most recent full year we hold.
For the size of the two countries, it is given noticeably more often in the US than in England and Wales.
Its American peak was 84 babies in 2012, making it a 2010s name.
What we can tell you about Nilah
Not every name has a meaning to trace. Plenty are coined rather than inherited — invented outright, blended from two names, or respelled from an older one — and where we cannot find an etymology we can stand behind, we would rather say so than make one up. What follows comes from the birth records themselves.
Spelled almost the same
Other names in the records within a letter or two of Nilah. Close spellings are not always related names, but they are usually worth seeing together.
- Nailahone who achieves or attains239 in the US (2017)
- Niladark blue; indigo64 in England and Wales (2025)
- Niyahintention or purpose; a respelling of Niyyah25 in England and Wales (2025)
- Niahbright or radiant; a respelling of Niamh15 in England and Wales (2025)
- Nimahblessing, benefit, favour19 in the US (2017)
- Neilahlocked; sealed; from the closing of gates5 in the US (2017)
Sounds like Nilah
Names that are said the same way as Nilah, however they are written. Sounding alike does not mean they share a history.
Names about as common as Nilah
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