NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Nila

A feminine name of Hindi origin meaning "blue" or "dark blue".

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.

Nila is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Nila popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #837, with 44 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 49 births.

This profile covers 413 England and Wales registrations across 25 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 90% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 415 living people in the UK are called Nila. 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

  • Nila ranked #837 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 44 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2022, when 49 girls were registered as Nila.
  • Nila ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #638 in 2024.
  • About 415 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nila as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#837

2024

Births in 2024

44

Latest year

Peak year

2022

49 births

Estimated living

415

2026

Meaning

What does Nila mean?

The name Nila is believed to have its origins in several ancient cultures and languages. One of the earliest known references to the name can be traced back to Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language from the Indian subcontinent. In Sanskrit, the word "nila" means "blue" or "dark blue," possibly referring to the deep blue color of the indigo plant or the night sky.

Another possible origin of the name Nila can be found in Arabic, where it is derived from the word "nil," meaning "river" or "Nile." This connection could suggest that the name was used among people living along the Nile River in ancient times. The name may also have roots in Persian, where it is believed to mean "blue water" or "blue stone."

In Hindu mythology, Nila is the name of a character mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. She was the wife of the sage Agastya and is often associated with devotion and spiritual purity. The name also appears in various ancient Hindu texts, such as the Puranas and the Vedas, further solidifying its historical significance in Indian culture.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Nila was Nila Pandita, a renowned Indian mathematician and astronomer who lived in the 16th century. He made significant contributions to the fields of mathematics and astronomy, and his works were widely studied and respected during his time.

Another notable figure was Nila Kumara Dasa, a 16th-century Bengali poet and devotional writer. He is known for his poetic works that celebrated the devotional love for Lord Krishna, a central figure in Hindu mythology.

In the 19th century, Nila Shastri was a renowned Sanskrit scholar and author from India. He wrote several books and commentaries on various aspects of Hindu philosophy, literature, and religion, and his works were widely respected and studied.

Nila Mohapatra, a 20th-century Indian classical dancer and choreographer, was also a prominent figure. She was instrumental in reviving and popularizing the Odissi dance form, one of the eight classical dance styles of India.

Finally, Nila Ghose was a 20th-century Indian social worker and activist who dedicated her life to improving the lives of women and children in rural areas. She founded several organizations and initiatives aimed at providing education, healthcare, and empowerment to underprivileged communities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Nila over time

The chart below shows babies named Nila registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Nila, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 44 births in 2024, compared with 49 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Nila
012253749199620102024

Decades

Nila by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nila 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 #872 208 5
2010s #2255 149 10
2000s #3179 45 7
1990s #3463 11 3

Geography

Where Nila is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Nila. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Nila ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #638 in 2024.

Scotland
4

Across the UK

Nila in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#638 in 2024

1 years of NRS records, 4 total registered

Related

Names similar to Nila

FAQ

Nila: questions and answers

How popular is the name Nila in the UK right now?

In 2024, Nila was ranked #837 for girls in England and Wales, with 44 births registered.

When was Nila most popular?

The peak year on record was 2022, with 49 babies registered as Nila in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Nila?

A feminine name of Hindi origin meaning "blue" or "dark blue".

How many people are called Nila in the UK?

A total of 413 babies have been registered as Nila across the 25 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 4 more in Scotland.

Where is Nila most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Nila ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #638 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

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.