Fun Facts About the Name Nia
- More than 25 thousand babies named Nia: U.S. records list 25,426 babies given the name Nia from 1880 through 2025. Even 10 boys received the name Nia - about 1 boy for every 2,542 girls.
What Does the Name Nia Mean?
Nia is a feminine name with two independent origins. In Swahili it means "purpose," "aim," or "intention," from the Swahili noun nia, which was borrowed from Arabic niyya (نيّة), "intention." In Welsh, Nia is usually explained as a pet form of the older Welsh name Nesta (also spelled Nest), which is the Welsh equivalent of Agnes; through that connection the name is often glossed as "pure" or "chaste," from Greek hagnē. These two derivations are separate. The Irish name Niamh, which sounds similar and means "bright," is not the source of Nia.
Nia Name History & Origins
The Swahili name Nia comes from ordinary vocabulary: nia is the everyday Swahili word for a purpose or intention, a loan from Arabic that entered the language through centuries of trade and Islamic influence along the East African coast. It is used as a personal name in Swahili-speaking areas, including Kenya and Tanzania, and among people of East African descent elsewhere. Nia is also the fifth of the seven principles (Nguzo Saba) of Kwanzaa, the week-long African American celebration established in 1966, where it is given as "purpose."
In Wales, Nia grew out of the older name Nesta, or Nest, a Welsh feminine name used since the Middle Ages and treated as the Welsh form of Agnes. Nest ferch Rhys, a Welsh noblewoman of the twelfth century, is the best-known historical bearer of the longer form. Over time Nia came to be used in Wales as a given name on its own. In English-speaking countries, Nia is sometimes used as a short form of names ending in -nia, such as Antonia, Eugenia, or Virginia.
How Popular is the Name Nia?
Nia recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2000. Its best rank was #307 in 2000.
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 | #702 | 403 | 0.0251% |
| 2024 | #672 | 428 | 0.0265% |
| 2023 | #638 | 459 | 0.0286% |
| 2022 | #604 | 496 | 0.0303% |
| 2021 | #579 | 523 | 0.0319% |
| 2020 | #495 | 618 | 0.0383% |
| 2019 | #500 | 629 | 0.0375% |
| 2018 | #473 | 659 | 0.0388% |
| 2017 | #495 | 632 | 0.0366% |
| 2016 | #438 | 736 | 0.0415% |
| 2015 | #442 | 717 | 0.0402% |
| 2014 | #481 | 654 | 0.0366% |
| 2013 | #506 | 595 | 0.0339% |
| 2012 | #464 | 675 | 0.0383% |
| 2011 | #492 | 603 | 0.0343% |
| 2010 | #470 | 644 | 0.0362% |
| 2009 | #483 | 636 | 0.0346% |
| 2008 | #466 | 681 | 0.0360% |
| 2007 | #401 | 816 | 0.0424% |
| 2006 | #381 | 853 | 0.0449% |
| 2005 | #402 | 782 | 0.0423% |
| 2004 | #356 | 891 | 0.0485% |
| 2003 | #346 | 893 | 0.0489% |
| 2002 | #320 | 961 | 0.0535% |
| 2001 | #310 | 1,025 | 0.0569% |
| 2000 | #307 | 1,033 | 0.0569% |
| 1999 | #368 | 797 | 0.0449% |
| 1998 | #330 | 891 | 0.0504% |
| 1997 | #376 | 717 | 0.0412% |
| 1996 | #448 | 565 | 0.0322% |
| 1995 | #496 | 495 | 0.0281% |
| 1994 | #544 | 449 | 0.0251% |
| 1993 | #522 | 466 | 0.0258% |
| 1992 | #706 | 306 | 0.0166% |
| 1991 | #615 | 368 | 0.0196% |
| 1990 | #862 | 229 | 0.0121% |
| 1989 | #1,156 | 143 | 0.0078% |
| 1988 | #1,135 | 135 | 0.0076% |
| 1987 | #1,290 | 109 | 0.0063% |
| 1986 | #938 | 170 | 0.0099% |
| 1985 | #1,001 | 153 | 0.0089% |
| 1984 | #1,509 | 76 | 0.0045% |
| 1983 | #1,244 | 102 | 0.0061% |
| 1982 | #1,289 | 99 | 0.0058% |
| 1981 | #1,324 | 95 | 0.0057% |
| 1980 | #1,159 | 117 | 0.0070% |
| 1979 | #1,703 | 65 | 0.0040% |
| 1978 | #1,446 | 80 | 0.0052% |
| 1977 | #1,396 | 81 | 0.0053% |
| 1976 | #1,221 | 93 | 0.0063% |
| 1975 | #1,123 | 104 | 0.0071% |
| 1974 | #674 | 223 | 0.0152% |
| 1973 | #1,903 | 44 | 0.0030% |
| 1972 | #1,798 | 48 | 0.0032% |
| 1971 | #2,458 | 31 | 0.0019% |
| 1970 | #3,396 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1969 | #3,077 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1968 | #3,562 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1967 | #3,987 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1966 | #2,817 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1965 | #3,679 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1962 | #7,268 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1957 | #5,882 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1954 | #5,012 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1951 | #5,254 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | #9,722 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #8,838 | 5 | 0.0002% |
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 Nia Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have a vivid imagination who can bring inspired messages to the world. You like to enjoy the pleasures of life, and when self is overcome, you can rise to the heights. You have an ability to avoid trouble - that is why you often fails to learn from experiences. You are restless, sociable people-oriented, a lover of change, and a seeker of adventure and new thrills. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Nia's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Nia's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.