UK name, mostly boys
Nilay
An Indian name meaning "sky blue" or "azure".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2016. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a girls' name in the UK, with 33 girls.
Nilay is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Nilay popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2016 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3478, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2016, with 5 births.
This profile covers 42 England and Wales registrations across 12 recorded years from 1997 to 2016. 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.
Nilay is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 42 living people in the UK are called Nilay. 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 2017 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Nilay ranked #3478 for boys in England and Wales in 2016, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2016, when 5 boys were registered as Nilay.
- • Nilay is also recorded for girls, but the boys side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 42 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nilay as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 56.0% of Nilay registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3478
2016
Births in 2016
5
Latest year
Peak year
2016
5 births
Estimated living
42
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Nilay
In England and Wales birth records, Nilay has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 56.0% of registrations are for boys and 44.0% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Nilay registered for boys
- Ranked #3,478 in 2016
- 5 boys registered in 2016
- Peak: 2016 (5 births)
Nilay registered for girls
- Ranked #5,891 in 2024
- 3 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2019 (6 births)
Meaning
What does Nilay mean?
The name Nilay has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language from the Indian subcontinent. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "nilaya," which means "abode" or "dwelling place." It is believed to have been in use as a given name in India since ancient times.
In Hindu mythology, the name Nilay is associated with Lord Vishnu, one of the principal deities in Hinduism. Lord Vishnu is often depicted as residing in the sacred abode of Vaikuntha, which is considered a celestial realm or paradise. This connection with the divine abode may have contributed to the popularity of the name Nilay among Hindus.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nilay can be found in the Mahabharata, an ancient Indian epic dating back to around the 8th century BCE. The Mahabharata mentions a character named Nilay, who was a son of the sage Valmiki.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Nilay. One such person was Nilay Purkayastha (1906-1996), an Indian politician and freedom fighter who played an active role in India's struggle for independence from British rule.
Another prominent figure with the name Nilay was Nilay Dutta (1928-2001), a renowned Indian classical singer and composer. He was a leading exponent of the Khayal style of Hindustani classical music and received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the art form.
In the field of literature, Nilay Basu (1925-2008) was a celebrated Bengali author and playwright. He is best known for his novels and short stories that explored themes of social injustice and the human condition.
Nilay Patel, born in 1984, is an American technology journalist and the co-founder of the popular technology website The Verge. He has gained a significant following for his insightful coverage and analysis of the tech industry.
Lastly, Nilay Chakrabarti (born 1957) is an Indian physicist and academic. He is a professor at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur and has made significant contributions to the field of theoretical physics, particularly in the areas of condensed matter physics and statistical mechanics.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Nilay over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Nilay in England and Wales, from 1997 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 Nilay, the clearest high point is 2016. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2016, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nilay by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nilay 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4200 | 15 | 4 |
| 2000s | #3495 | 20 | 6 |
| 1990s | #2642 | 7 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Nilay
- Noah 72,596
- Nathan 46,860
- Nicholas 15,983
- Nathaniel 12,151
- Niall 5,746
- Nicolas 3,825
- Nico 3,532
- Nate 2,029
- Nikodem 1,872
- Noel 1,865
- Ned 1,614
- Neo 1,563
FAQ
Nilay: questions and answers
How popular is the name Nilay in the UK right now?
In 2016, Nilay was ranked #3478 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Nilay most popular?
The peak year on record was 2016, with 5 babies registered as Nilay in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Nilay?
An Indian name meaning "sky blue" or "azure".
How many people are called Nilay in the UK?
A total of 42 babies have been registered as Nilay across the 12 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.