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Home Nyla
Girl

Nyla

NY-lah

The name Nyla has multiple independent origins. In Arabic, it derives from nāʾila (نائلة), meaning winner, achiever, or one who attains, from the verb nāla (to obtain, to reach).

US Rank
No. 230
Births
1,339
Peak Year
2021

In Sanskrit and Hindi, nīla (नील) means dark blue or sapphire, the color associated with deities such as Krishna and with the lotus flower.

The Egyptian connection to the river Nile, from the Greek Neilos, offers a third possible source, though this derivation is largely folk etymology.

What the name Nyla means

In pre-Islamic Arabia, Nā’ila bint Umayyah was the wife of the third caliph Uthman ibn Affan and is remembered in Islamic history for her dramatic defense of her husband during his assassination in 656 CE.

Her cutoff fingers, severed as she tried to shield him, were later sent by Mu’awiya to incite the people of Damascus against Ali, an episode recorded extensively in early Islamic chronicles.

The Sanskrit meaning lent the name to several figures in Hindu mythology, including Nila, a monkey warrior who assisted Rama in the Ramayana, composed between 500 and 100 BCE.

In this context the name is typically masculine, though the feminine Nila and Nyla have both gained usage in modern India. The shared phonetic form across unrelated languages has made Nyla particularly portable across cultures.

According to U.S. Social Security Administration records, Nyla first entered the girls’ top 1000 in 2001 and has climbed steadily into the top 200 by the early 2020s.

The name has been particularly embraced in African American and South Asian American communities, reflecting its dual heritage appeal.

It is also popular in the United Kingdom, where it entered the top 100 during the 2010s, driven by the diversity of British naming trends.

Contemporary bearers include American basketball player Nyla Harris, and the name has gained further visibility through several children’s books and television characters featuring protagonists named Nyla during the 2010s and 2020s.

US popularity over time

Numerology and symbolism

Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.

N(5) + Y(7) + L(3) + A(1) = 16 = 7
Destiny number
7
Wisdom
Sum of all letters, reduced to a single digit
Soul urge
1
Independence
Sum of vowels only - reveals inner desires
Expression
6
Warmth
Sum of consonants - how others perceive you
Letters 4
Vowels / consonants 1 / 3
Birthstone Amethyst
Lucky color Violet

Famous people named Nyla

Nyla Innuksuk Actor and performer
Nyla Innuksuk Actor and performer
Nyla Innuksuk Actor and performer
Nyla Murphy (b. 1931) Politician and public official (1931-2015)
Nyla Murphy (b. 1931) Politician and public official (1931-2015)
Nyla Murphy (b. 1931) Politician and public official (1931-2015)
Nyla Ali Khan (b. 1972) Politician and public official (born 1972)
Nyla Ali Khan (b. 1972) Politician and public official (born 1972)
Nyla Ali Khan (b. 1972) Politician and public official (born 1972)

Nyla - similar names

Sophia
From ancient Greek “sophia” meaning wisdom, skill, and knowl...
Sofia
From Ancient Greek “σοφία” meaning wisdom; Southern and East...
Eleanor
From Old French “Aliénor”, probably from Occitan “alia Aenor...
Chloe
From ancient Greek “Khloe” meaning young green shoot or bloo...
Ellie
From Greek “helios” (light/sun) or Hebrew “El” (God), meanin...
Penelope
From Ancient Greek “penelope” meaning thread on a bobbin or ...
Zoe
From Ancient Greek “zōē” meaning life; used in early Christi...
Elena
From Ancient Greek “hēlēn” meaning bright, shining, or torch...
Maya
illusion; water; great
Genesis
origin, birth
Zoey
life
Sophie
wisdom

Not seeing what you want? Browse all names by origin or popularity

Explore More Names Like Nyla

Girl Names Greek Names Starting with N Popular Names
Researched by MyGall Research · Updated April 16, 2026
Girl Greek 2 syllables

Where it ranks highest

RI No. 78 HI No. 111 NC No. 120 MD No. 130 GA No. 132 VA No. 135 MS No. 136 NV No. 144 SC No. 156 DC No. 167 NY No. 168 KY No. 183 TN No. 186 DE No. 192 SD No. 195 MO No. 200 AL No. 202 FL No. 207 LA No. 210 PA No. 211 CT No. 219 AR No. 226 MI No. 227 ND No. 227 IN No. 238 TX No. 253 NM No. 255 OK No. 260 IL No. 280 OH No. 297 NJ No. 301 IA No. 309 CO No. 310 CA No. 320 AZ No. 327 MN No. 330 KS No. 339 WI No. 341 WV No. 350 ID No. 356 WA No. 363 NE No. 418 MA No. 505 OR No. 506 UT No. 778

Preparing for Your Baby

Quick Stats

US Rank
No. 230
Births
1,339
Peak Year
2021

Related Origins

  • Greek

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Top Girl Names

  • No. 1 Olivia
  • No. 2 Emma
  • No. 3 Amelia
  • No. 4 Charlotte
  • No. 5 Mia
  • No. 6 Sophia
  • No. 7 Isabella
  • No. 8 Evelyn
All girl names

Top Boy Names

  • No. 1 Liam
  • No. 2 Noah
  • No. 3 Oliver
  • No. 4 Theodore
  • No. 5 James
  • No. 6 Henry
  • No. 7 Mateo
  • No. 8 Elijah
All boy names

By Origin

  • English 672
  • Hebrew 252
  • Latin 232
  • Greek 191
  • Spanish 167
  • Germanic 157
  • French 145
  • Italian 89
All origins

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