Fun Facts About the Name Imela
- 20 babies named Imela: U.S. records list 20 babies given the name Imela from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Imela Mean?
Imela is an Igbo word and name meaning "thank you" or "gratitude." It comes from Igbo, the language spoken mainly in southeastern Nigeria, where the same word is the ordinary way of saying thanks. It is usually understood as coming from the verb ime, "to do," with a perfect ending, so the literal sense is close to "you have done it" or "you have done well." The customary meaning, and the one that carries over into the name, is the simple expression of thanks rather than the literal phrase. The name also appears spelled Imeela.
Imela Name History & Origins
Igbo personal names are often taken from ordinary words, phrases, and short sentences rather than from a fixed stock of inherited name forms. Imela fits that pattern: an everyday expression of gratitude that is also used as a personal name, so the name and the phrase share a single origin rather than one being derived from the other. It is used by Igbo speakers in Nigeria and in Igbo communities elsewhere.
The word is not related to the Germanic name Imelda, which has a separate origin; the similarity in sound is coincidental. Imela also became familiar to a wider audience through Nigerian gospel music, where it appears as the refrain of a well-known worship song by Nathaniel Bassey.
How Popular is the Name Imela?
Imela has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2017. Its best rank was #12,404 in 2025.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #12,404 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2019 | #14,473 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #13,239 | 7 | 0.0004% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Imela Shapes Your Personality and Life?
Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You like to use the pen or the needle (writing, fashion design etc). You are loving, compassionate, intuitive and humanitarian. Runs of luck, either good or bad, follow you. You are sympathetic, but at times might be touchy and oversensitive. You may have a gift for writing. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Imela's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Imela's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.