UK girl's name
Neyla
A feminine Arabic name meaning "having beautiful eyes".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Neyla is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Neyla popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3318, with 7 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 7 births.
This profile covers 32 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 2012 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 32 living people in the UK are called Neyla. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Neyla ranked #3318 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 7 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2021, when 7 girls were registered as Neyla.
- • About 32 living people in the UK are estimated to have Neyla as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3318
2024
Births in 2024
7
Latest year
Peak year
2021
7 births
Estimated living
32
2026
Meaning
What does Neyla mean?
The name Neyla is believed to have originated from the Arabic language, tracing its roots back to the Middle Eastern and North African regions. It is derived from the Arabic word "nayl," which means "to attain" or "to achieve." The name is often interpreted as symbolizing success, aspiration, and accomplishment.
In Arabic cultures, the name Neyla has been in use for centuries, with records indicating its presence as early as the 7th century CE. It was particularly popular among the Muslim communities of the Middle East and North Africa, where it was often given to girls as a wish for them to achieve their goals and aspirations in life.
While there are no direct references to the name Neyla in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is believed to have gained popularity during the Islamic Golden Age, a period of immense cultural and intellectual advancement in the Arab world. During this time, many names with positive connotations and meanings were favored, reflecting the values and aspirations of the era.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Neyla can be traced back to the 11th century CE, when a prominent Muslim scholar and poet named Neyla al-Andalusiya lived in the city of Granada, which was part of the Moorish kingdom of Al-Andalus (modern-day Spain). She was renowned for her contributions to literature and poetry, and her works have been preserved and studied by scholars throughout the centuries.
In the 12th century, another notable figure named Neyla al-Qurashiya emerged as a renowned calligrapher and artist in the city of Baghdad, Iraq. Her intricate calligraphic works adorned the walls of mosques and palaces, showcasing the artistic excellence of the time.
During the 14th century, a woman named Neyla al-Qaramani gained recognition as a skilled physician and herbalist in the city of Damascus, Syria. Her expertise in traditional medicine and her dedication to healing the sick earned her a respected reputation among her contemporaries.
In more recent times, the name Neyla has been carried by several notable individuals, including Neyla Pekarevic, a Bosnian writer and journalist who published works highlighting the struggles of women during the Bosnian War in the 1990s, and Neyla Selim, an Egyptian singer and actress who gained popularity in the 1950s and 1960s for her contributions to Arabic cinema and music.
While the name Neyla has evolved and been adapted across various cultures and regions, its Arabic roots and the underlying meaning of achievement and aspiration have remained consistent throughout its history. The name continues to be cherished and bestowed upon children as a symbol of hope and the pursuit of success.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Neyla over time
The chart below shows babies named Neyla registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2012 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Neyla, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 7 births in 2024, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Neyla by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Neyla was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3718 | 18 | 3 |
| 2010s | #4369 | 14 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Neyla
- Niamh 20,347
- Nicole 19,687
- Natasha 15,578
- Nancy 12,607
- Naomi 12,199
- Natalie 10,885
- Nevaeh 7,869
- Nina 7,285
- Neve 7,180
- Natalia 7,099
- Nadia 6,032
- Nicola 4,927
FAQ
Neyla: questions and answers
How popular is the name Neyla in the UK right now?
In 2024, Neyla was ranked #3318 for girls in England and Wales, with 7 births registered.
When was Neyla most popular?
The peak year on record was 2021, with 7 babies registered as Neyla in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Neyla?
A feminine Arabic name meaning "having beautiful eyes".
How many people are called Neyla in the UK?
A total of 32 babies have been registered as Neyla across the 6 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.