Fun Facts About the Name Nila
- More than 7 thousand babies named Nila: U.S. records list 7,135 babies given the name Nila from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Nila Mean?
Nila has two separate origins. In Sanskrit, nīla means "dark blue," "blue," or "indigo," and it is also the word for the blue sapphire. In Tamil, the similar-looking nilā (நிலா) means "moon." The two words are unrelated despite sharing the same spelling in English.
The Sanskrit word passed into other South Asian and Middle Eastern languages: Persian and Arabic use nīl for indigo, and Hindi and Urdu nīlā means "blue." The gemstone name neelam, or blue sapphire, comes from the same root. The Tamil nilā is native Dravidian vocabulary. Neither should be confused with the Nile, whose name comes from Greek Neilos.
Nila Name History & Origins
Sanskrit texts use nīla as a color term for dark blue and as the name of indigo and of the blue sapphire. In the nine-gem navaratna scheme of Indian astrology, the blue sapphire, or nīlam, is assigned to Saturn. The same word appears in place names, such as the Nilgiri hills ("blue mountains") of southern India.
In the Ramayana, Nila is a vanara, or monkey, warrior and army commander who fights for Rama. Tradition calls him a son of Agni, the fire god, and he and Nala are credited in the epic with the building of the bridge across the sea to Lanka.
As a given name, Nila is used in India and among Indian communities abroad; in Tamil-speaking areas it is familiar as a girl's name meaning "moon," while the Ramayana figure is male. The name also appears in Malay- and Indonesian-speaking regions, where nila, another borrowing from Sanskrit, is the word for indigo. English spellings vary, with Neela and Neelam used alongside Nila.
How Popular is the Name Nila?
Nila recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2022. Its best rank was #567 in 1935.
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 | #1,754 | 116 | 0.0072% |
| 2024 | #1,675 | 122 | 0.0076% |
| 2023 | #1,931 | 103 | 0.0064% |
| 2022 | #1,513 | 144 | 0.0088% |
| 2021 | #1,856 | 108 | 0.0066% |
| 2020 | #1,803 | 110 | 0.0068% |
| 2019 | #1,680 | 125 | 0.0075% |
| 2018 | #1,734 | 119 | 0.0070% |
| 2017 | #1,693 | 127 | 0.0074% |
| 2016 | #1,923 | 105 | 0.0059% |
| 2015 | #1,789 | 117 | 0.0066% |
| 2014 | #1,849 | 110 | 0.0062% |
| 2013 | #1,887 | 107 | 0.0061% |
| 2012 | #1,969 | 100 | 0.0057% |
| 2011 | #2,117 | 91 | 0.0052% |
| 2010 | #2,863 | 61 | 0.0034% |
| 2009 | #2,354 | 83 | 0.0045% |
| 2008 | #2,743 | 67 | 0.0035% |
| 2007 | #2,882 | 63 | 0.0033% |
| 2006 | #2,720 | 66 | 0.0035% |
| 2005 | #2,923 | 56 | 0.0030% |
| 2004 | #3,117 | 50 | 0.0027% |
| 2003 | #3,027 | 50 | 0.0027% |
| 2002 | #3,129 | 46 | 0.0026% |
| 2001 | #3,764 | 35 | 0.0019% |
| 2000 | #3,499 | 38 | 0.0021% |
| 1999 | #3,295 | 39 | 0.0022% |
| 1998 | #3,622 | 33 | 0.0019% |
| 1997 | #5,165 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1996 | #3,909 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1995 | #3,562 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 1994 | #5,395 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1993 | #8,514 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1992 | #9,280 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1991 | #5,126 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1990 | #7,173 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1989 | #6,055 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1988 | #4,790 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1987 | #6,214 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1986 | #4,480 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1985 | #4,394 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1984 | #4,439 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1983 | #4,624 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 1982 | #3,388 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 1981 | #4,283 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1980 | #4,261 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1979 | #3,745 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 1978 | #4,392 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 1977 | #4,363 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 1976 | #3,494 | 20 | 0.0014% |
| 1975 | #3,599 | 19 | 0.0013% |
| 1974 | #3,182 | 22 | 0.0015% |
| 1973 | #3,431 | 19 | 0.0013% |
| 1972 | #2,569 | 28 | 0.0018% |
| 1971 | #3,333 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1970 | #3,398 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1969 | #2,684 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 1968 | #2,845 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 1967 | #1,939 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 1966 | #1,902 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 1965 | #2,281 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1964 | #2,180 | 31 | 0.0016% |
| 1963 | #1,913 | 38 | 0.0020% |
| 1962 | #1,753 | 43 | 0.0022% |
| 1961 | #1,592 | 51 | 0.0025% |
| 1960 | #1,360 | 66 | 0.0033% |
| 1959 | #1,380 | 61 | 0.0030% |
| 1958 | #1,263 | 71 | 0.0035% |
| 1957 | #1,222 | 75 | 0.0037% |
| 1956 | #1,072 | 92 | 0.0046% |
| 1955 | #1,125 | 79 | 0.0040% |
| 1954 | #1,006 | 95 | 0.0049% |
| 1953 | #964 | 98 | 0.0052% |
| 1952 | #1,034 | 83 | 0.0045% |
| 1951 | #911 | 101 | 0.0056% |
| 1950 | #1,035 | 78 | 0.0046% |
| 1949 | #922 | 93 | 0.0054% |
| 1948 | #990 | 78 | 0.0046% |
| 1947 | #1,006 | 78 | 0.0044% |
| 1946 | #907 | 86 | 0.0055% |
| 1945 | #895 | 72 | 0.0055% |
| 1944 | #905 | 72 | 0.0054% |
| 1943 | #805 | 92 | 0.0066% |
| 1942 | #730 | 106 | 0.0078% |
| 1941 | #745 | 92 | 0.0076% |
| 1940 | #759 | 85 | 0.0074% |
| 1939 | #671 | 103 | 0.0094% |
| 1938 | #744 | 87 | 0.0079% |
| 1937 | #731 | 86 | 0.0081% |
| 1936 | #659 | 101 | 0.0097% |
| 1935 | #567 | 128 | 0.0122% |
| 1934 | #608 | 118 | 0.0113% |
| 1933 | #675 | 94 | 0.0093% |
| 1932 | #798 | 73 | 0.0068% |
| 1931 | #836 | 68 | 0.0064% |
| 1930 | #758 | 86 | 0.0076% |
| 1929 | #750 | 88 | 0.0079% |
| 1928 | #860 | 72 | 0.0062% |
| 1927 | #784 | 86 | 0.0072% |
| 1926 | #908 | 68 | 0.0057% |
| 1925 | #921 | 66 | 0.0054% |
| 1924 | #885 | 73 | 0.0058% |
| 1923 | #861 | 73 | 0.0061% |
| 1922 | #926 | 64 | 0.0053% |
| 1921 | #952 | 61 | 0.0049% |
| 1920 | #929 | 62 | 0.0052% |
| 1919 | #995 | 53 | 0.0047% |
| 1918 | #1,037 | 49 | 0.0042% |
| 1917 | #1,063 | 45 | 0.0042% |
| 1916 | #1,162 | 38 | 0.0036% |
| 1915 | #1,022 | 43 | 0.0044% |
| 1914 | #964 | 38 | 0.0050% |
| 1913 | #1,140 | 24 | 0.0038% |
| 1912 | #1,139 | 22 | 0.0039% |
| 1911 | #1,276 | 14 | 0.0033% |
| 1910 | #961 | 21 | 0.0053% |
| 1909 | #1,349 | 11 | 0.0032% |
| 1908 | #963 | 18 | 0.0054% |
| 1907 | #2,294 | 5 | 0.0016% |
| 1906 | #1,884 | 6 | 0.0020% |
| 1905 | #1,504 | 8 | 0.0027% |
| 1904 | #989 | 14 | 0.0051% |
| 1903 | #1,735 | 6 | 0.0023% |
| 1902 | #1,405 | 8 | 0.0030% |
| 1901 | #1,204 | 9 | 0.0038% |
| 1900 | #1,211 | 11 | 0.0037% |
| 1899 | #1,160 | 9 | 0.0039% |
| 1898 | #1,349 | 8 | 0.0031% |
| 1897 | #1,722 | 5 | 0.0021% |
| 1895 | #1,393 | 7 | 0.0030% |
| 1893 | #1,261 | 7 | 0.0033% |
| 1892 | #1,152 | 8 | 0.0038% |
| 1891 | #988 | 9 | 0.0049% |
| 1890 | #1,304 | 6 | 0.0032% |
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 Nila 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 desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Nila's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Nila's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.