unisex name
Nil
- Origin Turkish
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 1
- Letters 3
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 1,890
Nil is a unisex name with 1 syllable. It is given to both girls and boys — about 36% of recorded births with this name are girls. In 2025 it was given to 13 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
- Nil is a name of Turkish origin.
- Peaked in France in 2008, when 70 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 9,825 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1933.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Nil over time
Births per decade in France, 1930s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1930s | 5 |
| 1970s | 5 |
| 1980s | 85 |
| 1990s | 175 |
| 2000s | 465 |
| 2010s | 530 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 320 |
How popular is Nil?
In 2025, Nil was given to 60 babies in France. It is a rare choice.
Where Nil is used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Nil
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Nil also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Nil over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Nil in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Other forms
- Forms we hold no single language for — some are used across several, some are simply spelled differently.
- Nile
Sibling names for Nil
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Nil — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Nil
How popular is the name Nil?
In 2025, Nil was given to 60 babies in France. It is a rare choice.
Is Nil a girl's or a boy's name?
Nil is used for both girls and boys. About 36% of recorded births with this name are girls.
How many syllables are in Nil?
Nil has 1 syllable.
When was Nil most popular?
Nil peaked in 2008, when 70 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Nil a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Nil currently ranks #1,068 in France. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.