NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Nyla

Of Sanskrit origin meaning "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.

Nyla is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Nyla popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #193, with 251 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 251 births.

This profile covers 2,631 England and Wales registrations across 27 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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.

Nyla is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 2,766 living people in the UK are called Nyla. 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

  • Nyla ranked #193 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 251 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2024, when 251 girls were registered as Nyla.
  • Nyla ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #288 in 2024.
  • About 2,766 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nyla as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#193

2024

Births in 2024

251

Latest year

Peak year

2024

251 births

Estimated living

2,766

2026

Meaning

What does Nyla mean?

Nyla is a feminine given name with roots in multiple languages and cultures. It is believed to have originated from the Arabic word "naylaa," which means "bearer of good news" or "attainer of wishes." The name's origins can be traced back to the Middle East and Islamic cultures, where it has been used for centuries.

In Indian cultures, Nyla is derived from the Sanskrit word "nila," meaning "blue" or "dark blue." This connection to the color blue may have symbolized qualities like calmness, depth, and spirituality. The name's Indian variant, "Neela," shares a similar meaning and has been popular in various parts of the subcontinent.

The earliest recorded use of Nyla dates back to the 7th century CE, when it appeared in Arabic literature and historical records. During this time, the name was associated with strong, independent women who played significant roles in their communities.

One of the earliest notable figures with the name Nyla was Nyla al-Andalusiyya, a 10th-century Arab poet and scholar from Cordoba, Spain. She was renowned for her contributions to literature and her expertise in various fields, including linguistics and philosophy.

In the 12th century, Nyla al-Dimashqiyya, a Syrian scholar and historian, gained recognition for her writings on the history of Damascus and its notable figures. Her work provided valuable insights into the cultural and intellectual life of the region during that era.

Another prominent figure with the name Nyla was Nyla Khanum, a 16th-century Mughal princess and the daughter of Emperor Akbar. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her support for women's education in the Mughal Empire.

In more recent history, Nyla Ali Khan, an American academic and author born in 1963, has made significant contributions to the study of South Asian literature and culture. Her works explore themes of identity, diaspora, and postcolonial perspectives.

Nyla Puttar, a Canadian actress and model born in 1987, has gained recognition for her roles in various television shows and films, including her portrayal of Tara in the hit series "The Handmaid's Tale."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Nyla over time

The chart below shows babies named Nyla 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 Nyla, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 251 births in 2024, compared with 251 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Nyla
063126188251199620102024

Decades

Nyla by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nyla 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 #220 1,104 5
2010s #361 1,349 10
2000s #1787 162 8
1990s #3315 16 4

Geography

Where Nyla is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Nyla. 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.

Nyla ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #288 in 2024.

Scotland
11
Northern Ireland
5

Across the UK

Nyla in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#315 in 2024

17 years of NRS records, 122 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#288 in 2024

7 years of NISRA records, 25 total registered

Related

Names similar to Nyla

FAQ

Nyla: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Nyla was ranked #193 for girls in England and Wales, with 251 births registered.

When was Nyla most popular?

The peak year on record was 2024, with 251 babies registered as Nyla in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Nyla?

Of Sanskrit origin meaning "dark blue".

How many people are called Nyla in the UK?

A total of 2,631 babies have been registered as Nyla across the 27 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 122 more in Scotland and 25 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Nyla most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Nyla ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #288 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.