Nyella
A feminine name derived from the Dutch diminutive form of Helen.
Name Census estimates that about 152 living Americans carry the first name Nyella. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nyella today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nyella births was 2024 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nyella. 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 Nyella with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
152
~ 1 in 2,254,963 Americans
Peak year
2024
17 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,833
Tracked since 2008
Popularity
Nyella: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nyella 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 83 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Nyella remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nyella 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 Nyella during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Nyella
The name Nyella is believed to have its origins in the Scandinavian languages, specifically Norwegian and Swedish. It is thought to be derived from the Old Norse word "ny," meaning "new," and the diminutive suffix "-ella," which was commonly used to form affectionate names.
One theory suggests that Nyella may have been used as a name for a child born during the spring or at the beginning of a new year, symbolizing the concept of renewal and new beginnings. Another possibility is that it was given to children born in newly established settlements or colonies, representing the idea of a "new land" or a "new home."
While there are no definitive records of the name's use in ancient texts or religious scriptures, some scholars believe it may have been employed by Norse settlers in regions such as Greenland, Iceland, and parts of present-day Canada during the Viking Age (793-1066 AD).
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nyella can be found in the Icelandic Landnámabók (Book of Settlements), a medieval manuscript from the late 12th century. It mentions a woman named Nyella Thorvaldsdóttir, who was born around 930 AD and was the daughter of a prominent Norse chieftain.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Nyella. One such person was Nyella Katrinsdóttir (1512-1587), a Norwegian noblewoman and landowner who played a significant role in the Reformation movement in Norway. Another was Nyella Margaretasdóttir (1645-1712), a Swedish botanist and naturalist who contributed to the classification of plant species in her region.
In the realm of literature, Nyella Eriksdóttir (1787-1865) was a celebrated Icelandic poet and writer, known for her lyrical works that celebrated the natural beauty of her homeland. Nyella Gustavsdóttir (1832-1901), on the other hand, was a prominent Swedish suffragette and social reformer who fought for women's rights and educational opportunities.
Lastly, Nyella Ingridsdóttir (1903-1987) was a Norwegian architect and urban planner, renowned for her innovative designs that incorporated sustainable and environmentally conscious principles, which were ahead of their time.
People
Nyella + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nyella 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
Nyella: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nyella?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 152 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nyella 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 2,254,963 US residents.
Is Nyella a common name?
We classify Nyella as "Very Rare". It ranks above 70.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 153 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nyella most popular?
The single biggest year for Nyella was 2024, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nyella 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 Nyella in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nyella a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nyella 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 Nyella still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nyella 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 Nyella 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 called Nyella?
You can see how many people share the name Nyella on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.