Neelam
Every Neelam since 1971 — 316 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Neelam
Neelam is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1971, 316 American babies have been named Neelam. Its peak came in 1990, when 27 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
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 Neelam stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Neelam year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | 6 | #14,665 |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | 5 | #16,982 |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | 10 | #10,505 |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | 5 | #18,367 |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | 6 | #15,988 |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | 5 | #18,777 |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | 5 | #18,391 |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | 6 | #14,892 |
| 2001 | 10 | #9,896 |
| 2000 | 6 | #14,487 |
| 1995 | 13 | #6,917 |
| 1990 | 27 | #3,875 |
| 1985 | 5 | #11,892 |
| 1980 | 7 | #8,764 |
| 1975 | 5 | #10,076 |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Neelam
- Neelam Sanjiva Reddy Politician · 1913–1996
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Neelam in 2025?
Neelam did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Neelam?
316 babies have been named Neelam in the United States since 1971, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Neelam most popular?
Neelam peaked in 1990, when 27 newborns received the name.
Is Neelam a boy or girl name?
Neelam is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Neelam rising or falling?
Neelam is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Neelam?
Well-known people named Neelam include Neelam Sanjiva Reddy (politician).