Neela
Girl name · #3313 in 2025 · Uniqueness 72/100
Neela is currently the #3313 girl name in the United States — 47 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2927, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 38,298 girls born in 2025 was named Neela.
Babies named Neela per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 53-year story
Neela first appears in the Social Security records in 1972, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2007, when 103 girls were named Neela — good for #1988 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 Neela against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Neela in class?
Neela scores 72 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 Neela will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Neela is most common
State-level data for Neela is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Neela
Statistically, parents drawn to Neela tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Anela, Aniela, Izabela, Neila, and Nitya.
AnelaAnielaIzabelaNeilaNityaNaimaMillaDelila
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Neela | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 47 | #3296 |
| 2024 | 54 | #3013 |
| 2023 | 44 | #3525 |
| 2022 | 44 | #3536 |
| 2021 | 36 | #4014 |
| 2020 | 44 | #3450 |
| 2019 | 52 | #3085 |
| 2018 | 54 | #3004 |
| 2017 | 48 | #3305 |
| 2016 | 27 | #4990 |
| 2015 | 59 | #2927 |
| 2014 | 54 | #3080 |
| 2013 | 53 | #3076 |
| 2012 | 47 | #3419 |
| 2011 | 62 | #2796 |
| 2010 | 68 | #2642 |
| 2009 | 85 | #2286 |
| 2008 | 93 | #2157 |
| 2007 | 103 | #1988 |
| 2006 | 69 | #2602 |
| 2005 | 46 | #3317 |
| 2004 | 40 | #3631 |
| 2003 | 12 | #8505 |
| 2002 | 7 | #12187 |
| 2001 | 10 | #9351 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Neela a popular girl name?
Neela ranked #3313 among girls in 2025 with 47 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2927.
When was the name Neela most popular?
Neela peaked in 2007, when 103 American girls received the name (ranked #1988 that year). Since 2007 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Neela?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 38,298 newborn American girls was named Neela. It scores 72/100 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.