Nithila
A feminine Indian name of Sanskrit origin meaning "very polite".
Name Census estimates that about 158 living Americans carry the first name Nithila. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nithila today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nithila births was 2017 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nithila. 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 Nithila with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
158
~ 1 in 2,169,331 Americans
Peak year
2017
16 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2024 SSA rank
#16,957
Tracked since 2002
Popularity
Nithila: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nithila 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 90 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nithila 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 Nithila during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nithilas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Nithila
The name Nithila originates from the Sanskrit language, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that emerged in the Indian subcontinent around the 2nd millennium BCE. The name is derived from the Sanskrit root words "nith" meaning "truth" or "honesty" and "ila" which translates to "earth" or "land."
In Hindu mythology, the name Nithila is associated with the goddess Lakshmi, the embodiment of beauty, prosperity, and fertility. It is believed that the name holds a deep spiritual significance, representing purity, truthfulness, and a connection to the earth's abundance.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Nithila can be found in the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata, which dates back to around the 8th century BCE. In this Sanskrit text, Nithila is described as a beautiful and virtuous princess, known for her unwavering commitment to truth and righteousness.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Nithila. One of the most famous was Nithila Devi, a 16th-century Rajput princess from Mewar, India, known for her bravery and heroic defense of her kingdom during the Siege of Chittorgarh in 1567.
Another prominent figure was Nithila Bai, a 19th-century Indian courtesan and poetess from Lucknow, renowned for her literary talents and contributions to the field of Urdu poetry. Her birth year is estimated to be around 1820.
In the realm of art and culture, Nithila Kapur was a celebrated Indian classical dancer and choreographer who lived from 1927 to 2010. She was widely recognized for her mastery of the Kathak dance form and her efforts in preserving and promoting Indian classical dance traditions.
Moving to the modern era, Nithila Samant was an Indian politician and social activist who dedicated her life to the upliftment of marginalized communities. She served as a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from 1957 to 1962 and worked tirelessly for women's empowerment and social justice.
Lastly, Nithila Kurup was an Indian writer and academic born in 1934. She was a prominent figure in Malayalam literature and made significant contributions to the fields of literary criticism and feminist studies. Her works explored themes of gender, identity, and social issues.
People
Nithila + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nithila 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
Nithila: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nithila?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 158 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nithila 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 2,169,331 US residents.
Is Nithila a common name?
We classify Nithila as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 159 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nithila most popular?
The single biggest year for Nithila was 2017, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nithila is about 13 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 Nithila in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nithila a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nithila 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 Nithila still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nithila 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 Nithila 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 Nithila?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the name Nithila on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.