Neela
Every Neela since 1972 — 1,374 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Neela
Neela is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #3,332 in 2025 with 47 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1972, 1,374 American babies have been named Neela. Its peak came in 2007, when 103 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Neela stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Neela year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 47 | #3,332 |
| 2024 | 54 | #3,039 |
| 2023 | 44 | #3,565 |
| 2022 | 44 | #3,582 |
| 2021 | 36 | #4,069 |
| 2020 | 44 | #3,484 |
| 2019 | 52 | #3,122 |
| 2018 | 54 | #3,037 |
| 2017 | 48 | #3,335 |
| 2016 | 27 | #5,092 |
| 2015 | 59 | #2,959 |
| 2014 | 54 | #3,102 |
| 2013 | 53 | #3,115 |
| 2012 | 47 | #3,452 |
| 2011 | 62 | #2,830 |
| 2010 | 68 | #2,668 |
| 2009 | 85 | #2,307 |
| 2008 | 93 | #2,168 |
| 2007 | 103 | #2,000 |
| 2006 | 69 | #2,622 |
| 2005 | 46 | #3,353 |
| 2004 | 40 | #3,676 |
| 2003 | 12 | #8,909 |
| 2002 | 7 | #13,228 |
| 2001 | 10 | #9,895 |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | 5 | #14,511 |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | 8 | #7,890 |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Neela in 2025?
Neela ranked #3,332 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 47 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Neela?
1,374 babies have been named Neela in the United States since 1972, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Neela most popular?
Neela peaked in 2007, when 103 newborns received the name.
Is Neela a boy or girl name?
Neela is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Neela rising or falling?
Neela has been roughly stable over the past decade.