Nyliah
Of unknown origin and modern invention, possibly a variation of Nyla.
Name Census estimates that about 286 living Americans carry the first name Nyliah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nyliah today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nyliah births was 2011 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nyliah. 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.
People living today
286
~ 1 in 1,198,442 Americans
Peak year
2011
21 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,145
Tracked since 1999
Popularity
Nyliah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nyliah 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 143 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Nyliah remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nyliah 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 Nyliah 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 Nyliah
The given name Nyliah is a relatively modern invention, likely emerging in the late 20th or early 21st century. It does not appear to have any direct etymological roots in ancient languages or cultures. The name's construction suggests it may be a combination of the syllables "Ny" and "liah," potentially drawing inspiration from other names containing similar sounds or elements.
While Nyliah's precise origin is uncertain, it could be a creative variation or blend of more established names like Nyla, Lila, or Delilah. These names have roots in various cultures and languages, such as Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian. However, Nyliah itself does not seem to be directly derived from any specific linguistic or cultural tradition.
There are no known historical references or mentions of the name Nyliah in ancient texts, religious scriptures, or historical records. This is likely due to its relatively recent coinage as a given name.
As a modern name, the earliest recorded examples of Nyliah are likely found in birth records or personal documents from the late 20th or early 21st century. However, due to its novelty, there are no widely recognized or famous historical figures associated with this particular name.
Given its recent emergence, it is challenging to identify individuals throughout history who bore the name Nyliah. However, as a contemporary name, it may gain more recognition and usage in the coming years, potentially leading to notable individuals carrying this given name in the future.
People
Nyliah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nyliah 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
Nyliah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nyliah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 286 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nyliah 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 1,198,442 US residents.
Is Nyliah a common name?
We classify Nyliah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 78.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 289 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nyliah most popular?
The single biggest year for Nyliah was 2011, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nyliah is about 12 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 Nyliah in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nyliah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nyliah 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 Nyliah still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nyliah 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 Nyliah 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 Nyliah?
See how many Americans are named Nyliah on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.