NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Nylah

Of Arabic origin, meaning "one who attains or accomplishes".

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.

Nylah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Nylah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #395, with 109 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 165 births.

This profile covers 1,584 England and Wales registrations across 21 recorded years from 2002 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.

The latest count is about 66% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 1,670 living people in the UK are called Nylah. 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

  • Nylah ranked #395 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 109 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2021, when 165 girls were registered as Nylah.
  • Nylah ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #351 in 2024.
  • About 1,670 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nylah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#395

2024

Births in 2024

109

Latest year

Peak year

2021

165 births

Estimated living

1,670

2026

Meaning

What does Nylah mean?

The name Nylah is a modern invention, likely derived from the Arabic name Nayla. It does not have a long historical lineage or documented origins in ancient texts or scriptures.

Nayla, the root name, is an Arabic feminine name meaning "delicate" or "soft." It is believed to have originated from the Arabic word "nay'il," meaning "gained" or "attained." The earliest recorded use of the name Nayla dates back to the 20th century in the Middle East.

The name Nylah, with its unique spelling variation, appears to have emerged in the late 20th century or early 21st century, primarily in the United States and other English-speaking countries. It likely gained popularity as a creative spin on the traditional Arabic name Nayla, appealing to parents seeking a unique yet melodic name for their daughters.

While there are no historically significant figures specifically named Nylah, a few notable individuals have borne the name Nayla. One example is Nayla Al Khaja, an Emirati filmmaker born in 1978, known for her work in promoting cultural understanding through film.

Another individual named Nayla is Nayla Moawad, a Lebanese politician born in 1956, who served as the First Lady of Lebanon from 1988 to 1989 during her husband's presidency.

Nayla Tabbara, born in 1960, is a Lebanese writer and journalist known for her work covering the civil war in Lebanon.

Nayla Hayek, born in 1956, is a Swiss businesswoman and the chairwoman of Swatch Group, a leading Swiss watchmaker.

Nayla Karam, born in 1984, is a Lebanese singer and songwriter who has gained popularity in the Arab world for her contemporary Arabic pop music.

It is important to note that the name Nylah, with its unique spelling, is a relatively recent creation and does not have a long historical lineage or documented origins in ancient texts or scriptures. Its popularity stems from its modern appeal and connection to the traditional Arabic name Nayla.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Nylah over time

The chart below shows babies named Nylah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2002 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 Nylah, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 109 births in 2024, compared with 165 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Nylah
04183124165200220132024

Decades

Nylah by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nylah 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 #329 691 5
2010s #587 836 10
2000s #2882 57 6

Geography

Where Nylah is most common

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

Nylah ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #351 in 2024.

Scotland
9
Northern Ireland
4

Across the UK

Nylah in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#351 in 2024

12 years of NRS records, 86 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#354 in 2022

2 years of NISRA records, 7 total registered

Related

Names similar to Nylah

FAQ

Nylah: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Nylah was ranked #395 for girls in England and Wales, with 109 births registered.

When was Nylah most popular?

The peak year on record was 2021, with 165 babies registered as Nylah in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Nylah?

Of Arabic origin, meaning "one who attains or accomplishes".

How many people are called Nylah in the UK?

A total of 1,584 babies have been registered as Nylah across the 21 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 86 more in Scotland and 7 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Nylah most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Nylah ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #351 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.