Nalayah
A variation of the name Nyla, originating from Arabic meaning "winner; achiever".
Name Census estimates that about 610 living Americans carry the first name Nalayah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nalayah today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nalayah births was 2022 (52 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nalayah. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Nalayah with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
610
~ 1 in 561,892 Americans
Peak year
2022
52 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,308
Tracked since 2002
Popularity
Nalayah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nalayah from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 312 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Nalayah remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nalayah by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Nalayah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nalayahs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. California, North Carolina, Ohio recorded the most babies named Nalayah, while Texas, Indiana, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 14 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Nalayah
Nalayah is a unique and intriguing name with a rich tapestry of history and cultural significance. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Sumerian civilization, which flourished in the fertile region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, now part of modern-day Iraq. The name is believed to have derived from the Sumerian words "na," meaning "noble," and "laya," meaning "flower" or "blossom."
In the earliest recorded instances, the name Nalayah was often associated with royalty and aristocracy, symbolizing the beauty, grace, and nobility of those who bore it. It was a name bestowed upon daughters of kings and queens, as well as high-ranking officials and members of the elite class. This tradition of naming carried through various ancient civilizations, including the Babylonians, Assyrians, and Persians, who adopted and adapted the name to their respective languages and cultural traditions.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Nalayah can be found in the cuneiform tablets dating back to the third millennium BCE. These ancient clay tablets, which served as a form of writing and record-keeping, contain references to a Sumerian princess named Nalayah, who was renowned for her beauty and intelligence. Unfortunately, the historical details surrounding her life and reign are scarce, leaving much to the imagination of scholars and historians.
Throughout the centuries, the name Nalayah has been associated with several notable figures, each leaving their mark on history. One such figure was Nalayah of Babylon, a renowned scholar and philosopher who lived during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar II in the 6th century BCE. Her writings and teachings on astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy significantly contributed to the intellectual and cultural development of the Babylonian Empire.
Another notable bearer of the name was Nalayah al-Andalusi, a renowned poet and writer who lived in the medieval Andalusian region of Spain during the 11th century CE. Her poetic works, which celebrated love, nature, and the human experience, were widely acclaimed and influential in the literary circles of the time.
In more recent history, Nalayah Kazemi, an Iranian-American artist and activist, made significant contributions to the promotion of human rights and freedom of expression. Born in 1965, Kazemi's powerful artworks and advocacy efforts brought global attention to the plight of marginalized communities and the importance of preserving cultural heritage.
Another notable figure was Nalayah Marisol, a pioneering Peruvian environmentalist and conservationist born in 1948. Her tireless efforts to protect the Amazon rainforest and raise awareness about the impact of deforestation and climate change earned her numerous accolades and international recognition.
While the name Nalayah may not be as common today as it once was, its rich history and cultural significance continue to captivate and inspire. From ancient princesses to modern-day artists, activists, and scholars, the name has been carried forth by remarkable individuals who have left an indelible mark on the world.
People
Nalayah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nalayah as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Nalayah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nalayah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 610 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nalayah going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 561,892 US residents.
Is Nalayah a common name?
We classify Nalayah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 615 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nalayah most popular?
The single biggest year for Nalayah was 2022, when 52 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nalayah is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Nalayah in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nalayah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nalayah in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Nalayah still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nalayah in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Nalayah can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Nalayah?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.