Nela
Every Nela since 1903 — 597 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Nela
Nela is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #8,718 in 2025 with 12 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1903, 597 American babies have been named Nela. Its peak came in 2019, when 27 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Nela stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Nela year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | #8,718 |
| 2024 | 14 | #7,859 |
| 2023 | 27 | #4,962 |
| 2022 | 15 | #7,541 |
| 2021 | 19 | #6,344 |
| 2020 | 17 | #6,843 |
| 2019 | 27 | #5,001 |
| 2018 | 21 | #5,953 |
| 2017 | 9 | #11,361 |
| 2016 | 15 | #7,883 |
| 2015 | 19 | #6,647 |
| 2014 | 16 | #7,550 |
| 2013 | 18 | #6,943 |
| 2012 | 11 | #10,227 |
| 2011 | 20 | #6,503 |
| 2010 | 16 | #7,794 |
| 2009 | 13 | #9,261 |
| 2008 | 16 | #8,010 |
| 2007 | 20 | #6,746 |
| 2006 | 17 | #7,404 |
| 2005 | 10 | #10,709 |
| 2004 | 10 | #10,475 |
| 2003 | 5 | #17,631 |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | 5 | #17,193 |
| 2000 | 7 | #12,763 |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | 5 | #6,457 |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | 9 | #3,257 |
| 1925 | 11 | #3,072 |
| 1920 | 6 | #4,809 |
| 1915 | 6 | #4,112 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Nela
- Nela Pocisková Singer · b. 1990
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Nela in 2025?
Nela ranked #8,718 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 12 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Nela?
597 babies have been named Nela in the United States since 1903, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Nela most popular?
Nela peaked in 2019, when 27 newborns received the name.
Is Nela a boy or girl name?
Nela is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Nela rising or falling?
Nela has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Nela?
Well-known people named Nela include Nela Pocisková (singer).