Nala
Nala was the 856th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 317 babies. Its best year was 2019, when it ranked 679th with 428 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 94 places. More babies were named Nala in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning Sanskrit epic hero's name (Nala) · Sanskrit
Say it NAH-luh /ˈnɑlə/
- Rank in 2025
- #856 girls, down 161 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 317girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2019428 babies
- Total since 1880
- 6,138babies recorded
What does the name Nala mean?
Nala is borrowed from Sanskrit Nala, according to Wiktionary. In the Mahabharata, Nala is the king of Nishadha and husband of Damayanti; in the Ramayana, another Nala is a vanara, one of the monkey-like heroes. As a Sanskrit noun, nala names a tall reed, and Wiktionary lists other senses too, such as a measure of length. US records show Nala from 1979.
नल (Sanskrit, “Nala; a kind of reed”)
How sure is this? Probable. The Sanskrit source is documented; why American parents choose the name is not covered by our sources.
See also: Sanskrit and Indian names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Nala' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'नल' (Sanskrit section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (yob*.txt), team3 computation of first year recorded, US Social Security Administration (public domain)
Nala popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #856 | 317 |
| 2020 | #695 | 406 |
| 2010 | #1,692 | 125 |
| 2000 | #2,848 | 51 |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Nala, counting every spelling?
Nala is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #783 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #856 for Nala on its own. Together these spellings went to 348 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nala | 317 | #856 | 1,748 |
| Nalah | 31 | #4,521 | 224 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Nala?
317 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Nala (0.09 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Nala born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 26 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Nala.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Nala?
About 6,100 people born in the US named Nala are alive today, with a median age of 9; half are between 5 and 14. That makes Nala a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Nala by state
How common Nala was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Georgia (2.1×), Louisiana (1.9×), South Carolina (1.8×), Virginia (1.7×), North Carolina (1.7×). In 17 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Nala: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Nala, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Nala · Sibling names for Nala
Questions about the name Nala
What does Nala mean?
Nala means “Sanskrit epic hero's name (Nala)” (Sanskrit origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Nala?
Nala was the 856th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 317 babies. Its best year was 2019, when it ranked 679th with 428 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 94 places. More babies were named Nala in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Nala a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Nala in the US.
Where is Nala most popular?
In 2021–2025, Nala was most common in District of Columbia (0.51 per 1,000 girls), followed by Georgia and Delaware.