Nihaal
Originating from Arabic, a name meaning happiness, joy, or bliss.
Name Census estimates that about 205 living Americans carry the first name Nihaal. It is a predominantly male name (97.6% of registrations). The average person named Nihaal today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nihaal births was 2024 (23 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nihaal. 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 Nihaal with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
205
~ 1 in 1,671,972 Americans
Peak year
2024
23 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,505
Tracked since 1999
Gender
Gender distribution for Nihaal
Nihaal leans heavily male at 97.6% of total registrations, but 5 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Nihaal as a male name
- Ranked #4,505 in 2024
- 23 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (23 births)
Nihaal as a female name
- Ranked #18,116 in 2016
- 5 female births in 2016
- Peak: 2016 (5 births)
Popularity
Nihaal: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nihaal from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 99 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nihaal 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 Nihaal during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nihaals live
Origin
Meaning and history of Nihaal
The name Nihaal has its origins in the Persian language, with roots dating back to the ancient Iranian civilizations of the Middle East. It is derived from the Persian word "nihaal," which means "sapling" or "young plant," symbolizing growth, freshness, and vitality.
In the Persian culture, the name Nihaal was often given to newborn children as a way to wish them a prosperous and flourishing life. The name's association with nature and new beginnings made it a popular choice among families seeking to bestow blessings upon their offspring.
While the name Nihaal does not appear prominently in ancient religious texts or historical records, its linguistic roots can be traced back to the Old Persian language, which was spoken in the Achaemenid Empire from the 6th to 4th centuries BCE. Over time, the name evolved and gained popularity across various regions influenced by Persian culture, including parts of Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Nihaal was a 12th-century Persian poet and scholar, Nihaal al-Din Rumi (1207-1273). He was a renowned Sufi mystic and the author of the celebrated work "Masnavi," a poetic collection exploring themes of love, spirituality, and the human condition.
Another notable figure was Nihaal Khan (1711-1782), a military commander and nobleman who served under the Mughal Empire in India. He played a significant role in the wars against the Maratha Empire and was known for his strategic prowess on the battlefield.
In the 19th century, Nihaal Singh (1820-1849) was a prominent Sikh warrior and leader who fought against the British East India Company during the Anglo-Sikh Wars. His acts of bravery and resistance have been celebrated in Sikh folklore and literature.
More recently, Nihaal Faizal (born 1983) is a contemporary Indian writer and poet known for his works exploring themes of identity, belonging, and cultural diversity. His poetry collections, such as "Gair: Exploring the Detritus of an Inherited Voice," have garnered critical acclaim.
Nihaal Dravid (born 1984) is an Indian actor and model who has appeared in various Bollywood films and television shows. He has also been actively involved in social and environmental causes, using his platform to raise awareness about various issues.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have carried the name Nihaal, each contributing to their respective fields and leaving their mark on the cultural and historical landscape.
People
Nihaal + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nihaal 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
Nihaal: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nihaal?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 205 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nihaal 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 1,671,972 US residents.
Is Nihaal a common name?
We classify Nihaal as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 207 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nihaal most popular?
The single biggest year for Nihaal was 2024, when 23 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nihaal 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 Nihaal in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nihaal a male name?
Yes, 97.6% of people registered as Nihaal in the SSA data are male. 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 Nihaal still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nihaal 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 Nihaal 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 common is the name Nihaal?
See how many people have the name Nihaal on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.