girl's name
Nuala
- Origin Irish
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 3
- Letters 5
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 2,805
Scotland
#472
2024 births
Nuala is a girl's name with 3 syllables. In 2025 it was given to 7 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
- Nuala is a name of Irish origin.
- Peaked in Ireland in 1965, when 91 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1960s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival in Ireland.
- First appears in birth records in 1964.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Nuala over time
Births per decade in Ireland, 1960s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2024, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 446 |
| 1970s | 580 |
| 1980s | 231 |
| 1990s | 66 |
| 2000s | 4 |
| 2010s | 10 |
| 2020s (to 2024) | 15 |
How popular is Nuala?
In 2024, Nuala was given to 3 babies in Ireland. It is a rare choice.
Where Nuala is used
Irish figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year, so a gap means the name fell below that floor rather than went unused. The Central Statistics Office began recording the síneadh fada in 2018, so accented and unaccented spellings are counted separately from that year on. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Nuala
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Nuala also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Nuala over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Sibling names for Nuala
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Nuala — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Nuala
How popular is the name Nuala?
In 2024, Nuala was given to 3 babies in Ireland. It is a rare choice.
Is Nuala a girl's or a boy's name?
Nuala is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Nuala?
Nuala has 3 syllables.
When was Nuala most popular?
Nuala peaked in 1965, when 91 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1960s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
Is Nuala a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Nuala currently ranks #472 in Ireland. After peaking in the 1960s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.