Nilani
A feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "blue lotus".
Name Census estimates that about 213 living Americans carry the first name Nilani. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nilani today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nilani births was 2023 (32 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nilani. 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 Nilani with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
213
~ 1 in 1,609,175 Americans
Peak year
2023
32 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,898
Tracked since 2010
Popularity
Nilani: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nilani from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 119 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
Nilani 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 Nilani during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nilanis live
Origin
Meaning and history of Nilani
The name Nilani is believed to have its origins in the Sanskrit language of ancient India. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "nila," which means "blue" or "dark blue." The suffix "ni" is often used in Sanskrit names to denote a feminine form.
The earliest recorded use of the name Nilani can be traced back to ancient Hindu texts and scriptures from around the 5th century BCE. In these texts, the name is often associated with the color blue and its symbolic meanings of peace, tranquility, and spirituality.
In the epic Hindu poem "Mahabharata," there is a character named Nilani who is described as a beautiful and virtuous woman. She is portrayed as a devoted wife and a symbol of loyalty and devotion.
During the medieval period in India, the name Nilani gained popularity among the upper classes and royal families. One notable figure with this name was Nilani Devi, a powerful queen who ruled over the Rajput kingdom of Mewar in the 15th century. She was known for her courage and leadership during a time of political turmoil.
Another historical figure with the name Nilani was a renowned Sanskrit scholar and poet who lived in the 9th century CE. Her works on grammar and poetry were widely studied and celebrated during her lifetime.
In more recent history, there was a Indian freedom fighter named Nilani Ghosh who played an active role in the Indian independence movement against British rule in the early 20th century. She was imprisoned multiple times for her involvement in protests and civil disobedience campaigns.
Outside of India, the name Nilani has also been used in various other cultures and regions, though its origins can be traced back to the Sanskrit language. For example, there was a famous Indonesian dancer and choreographer named Nilani Ratna who was celebrated for her performances and contributions to the arts in the mid-20th century.
People
Nilani + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nilani 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
Nilani: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nilani?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 213 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nilani 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 1,609,175 US residents.
Is Nilani a common name?
We classify Nilani as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 214 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nilani most popular?
The single biggest year for Nilani was 2023, when 32 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nilani is about 7 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 Nilani in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nilani a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nilani 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 Nilani still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nilani 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 Nilani 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 are named Nilani?
Want to know how many people have the name Nilani? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.