girl's name
Nylah
NY-luh (English)
- Origin Disputed
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 16,209
the United States
#504
2025 births
Nylah is a modern girl's name whose origin is disputed. It's linked variously to Arabic Naila, "achiever," Sanskrit Nila, "blue," and Irish Niall, and it's most likely a respelling of Nyla, shaped by the popularity of names such as Lyla and Ayla.
- Peaked in 2019, when 870 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 5,619 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1992.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Nylah Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1990s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 149 |
| 2000s | 2,008 |
| 2010s | 7,192 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 4,390 |
What Nylah Means
No single meaning for Nylah is agreed. Winner, sapphire blue and champion all appear in print, and they come from separate languages, so the meaning depends on which older name a family has in mind.
Where Nylah Comes From
FirstCry calls Nylah Arabic for winner and also connects it with Sanskrit Nila, blue. Namepedia describes it as a modern coinage drawing on Arabic Nīlā, with a link to the Nile. MomJunction lists Irish, English and Arabic roots. Those accounts differ because the -ylah spelling itself is recent, and it's formed from older sounds. Arabic Naila, one who attains, is a well-established name, and Sanskrit nila is a real word for dark blue. Which of them lies behind a particular child's name will vary. Spelling with a final -h follows Aaliyah and Delilah.
Nylah in Use
Nylah appears in birth records from the United States, England and Wales, and France, helped by a shared taste for soft -la endings.
How Popular Is Nylah?
In 2025, Nylah was given to 590 babies in the United States, ranking #504 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Nylah Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Nylah
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Nylah Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Nylah over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Nylah
- English NY-luh
Nylah 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.
Sibling Names for Nylah
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Nylah — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Nylah
What does the name Nylah mean?
No meaning is agreed. Sites give winner from Arabic and blue from Sanskrit.
Why do sources disagree about Nylah?
It's a modern spelling that resembles several older names in different languages.
How do you pronounce Nylah?
NY-luh.
How popular is the name Nylah?
In 2025, Nylah was given to 590 babies in the United States, ranking #504 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Is Nylah a girl's or a boy's name?
Nylah is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Nylah?
Nylah has 2 syllables.
When was Nylah most popular?
Nylah peaked in 2019, when 870 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Nylah a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Nylah currently ranks #356 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.