Nailah
Girl name · #1824 in 2025 · Uniqueness 80/100
Nailah ranks #1824 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 110 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1437, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 16,364 girls born in 2025 was named Nailah.
Babies named Nailah per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 54-year story
Nailah first appears in the Social Security records in 1971, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2018, when 256 girls were named Nailah — good for #1014 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Nailah against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Nailah in class?
Nailah scores 80 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Nailah will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Nailah is most common
Geography matters for names, and Nailah is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Nailahs were TX (12), FL (11), NY (11), GA (8), CA (7). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Nailah
Statistically, parents drawn to Nailah tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Skylah, Naylah, Kamilah, Leilah, and Anylah.
SkylahNaylahKamilahLeilahAnylahLailahKylahLaylah
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Nailah | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 110 | #1818 |
| 2024 | 112 | #1796 |
| 2023 | 122 | #1692 |
| 2022 | 140 | #1531 |
| 2021 | 164 | #1347 |
| 2020 | 186 | #1227 |
| 2019 | 231 | #1083 |
| 2018 | 256 | #1014 |
| 2017 | 239 | #1069 |
| 2016 | 159 | #1446 |
| 2015 | 160 | #1437 |
| 2014 | 150 | #1487 |
| 2013 | 179 | #1309 |
| 2012 | 171 | #1364 |
| 2011 | 171 | #1348 |
| 2010 | 150 | #1495 |
| 2009 | 140 | #1602 |
| 2008 | 144 | #1583 |
| 2007 | 137 | #1621 |
| 2006 | 155 | #1444 |
| 2005 | 134 | #1533 |
| 2004 | 137 | #1470 |
| 2003 | 92 | #1970 |
| 2002 | 88 | #1984 |
| 2001 | 89 | #1941 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Nailah a popular girl name?
Nailah ranked #1824 among girls in 2025 with 110 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1437.
When was the name Nailah most popular?
Nailah peaked in 2018, when 256 American girls received the name (ranked #1014 that year). Since 2018 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Nailah?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 16,364 newborn American girls was named Nailah. It scores 80/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.