Nilah
Girl name · #3722 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Nilah? In official American birth records, Nilah has been tracked continuously since 1916, giving it 109 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 40 baby girls were named Nilah, placing it at #3722 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2524, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 45,000 girls born in 2025 was named Nilah.
The 109-year story
Nilah first appears in the Social Security records in 1916, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2012, when 84 girls were named Nilah — good for #2232 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 Nilah per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Nilah against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Nilah in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Nilah is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Nilah will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Nilah is most common
State-level data for Nilah is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Nilah
Statistically, parents drawn to Nilah tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Naylah, Nalah, Ellah, Niylah, and Tylah.
NaylahNalahEllahNiylahTylahElahAniylahSkylah
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Nilah | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 40 | #3712 |
| 2024 | 30 | #4560 |
| 2023 | 48 | #3329 |
| 2022 | 31 | #4472 |
| 2021 | 46 | #3390 |
| 2020 | 62 | #2682 |
| 2019 | 62 | #2729 |
| 2018 | 60 | #2810 |
| 2017 | 62 | #2744 |
| 2016 | 70 | #2539 |
| 2015 | 71 | #2524 |
| 2014 | 79 | #2323 |
| 2013 | 75 | #2408 |
| 2012 | 84 | #2232 |
| 2011 | 81 | #2298 |
| 2010 | 66 | #2691 |
| 2009 | 58 | #2966 |
| 2008 | 53 | #3158 |
| 2007 | 41 | #3848 |
| 2006 | 32 | #4463 |
| 2005 | 34 | #4118 |
| 2004 | 18 | #6489 |
| 2003 | 20 | #5795 |
| 2002 | 20 | #5673 |
| 2001 | 13 | #7724 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Nilah?
In official American birth records, the name Nilah first appeared in 1916 (over 109 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 109 years.
Is Nilah a popular girl name?
Nilah ranked #3722 among girls in 2025 with 40 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2524.
When was the name Nilah most popular?
Nilah peaked in 2012, when 84 American girls received the name (ranked #2232 that year). Since 2012 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Nilah?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 45,000 newborn American girls was named Nilah. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.