Nala
Girl name · #856 in 2025 · Uniqueness 66/100
Nala is currently the #856 girl name in the United States — 317 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #949, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 5,678 girls born in 2025 was named Nala.
The 46-year story
Nala first appears in the Social Security records in 1979, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2019, when 428 girls were named Nala — good for #675 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.
Babies named Nala per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Nala against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Nala in class?
Nala scores 66 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Nala is most common
Geography matters for names, and Nala is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Nalas were TX (38), CA (31), FL (27), GA (19), NY (17). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Nala
Statistically, parents drawn to Nala tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Nola, Tala, Nayla, Naya, and Aila.
NolaTalaNaylaNayaAilaZolaNailaNila
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Nala | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 317 | #856 |
| 2024 | 375 | #752 |
| 2023 | 320 | #845 |
| 2022 | 351 | #804 |
| 2021 | 385 | #740 |
| 2020 | 406 | #695 |
| 2019 | 428 | #675 |
| 2018 | 374 | #741 |
| 2017 | 362 | #765 |
| 2016 | 365 | #777 |
| 2015 | 286 | #949 |
| 2014 | 267 | #993 |
| 2013 | 234 | #1062 |
| 2012 | 238 | #1055 |
| 2011 | 158 | #1434 |
| 2010 | 125 | #1688 |
| 2009 | 111 | #1889 |
| 2008 | 119 | #1816 |
| 2007 | 92 | #2163 |
| 2006 | 102 | #1961 |
| 2005 | 71 | #2457 |
| 2004 | 94 | #1972 |
| 2003 | 78 | #2203 |
| 2002 | 48 | #3014 |
| 2001 | 56 | #2663 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Nala a popular girl name?
Nala ranked #856 among girls in 2025 with 317 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #949.
When was the name Nala most popular?
Nala peaked in 2019, when 428 American girls received the name (ranked #675 that year). Since 2019 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Nala?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 5,678 newborn American girls was named Nala. It scores 66/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
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.