Girl · #5,466 in 2026

Neha

Neha is a popular Hindi/ Sanskrit Indian feminine given name, often found in the Hindu community. It means 'love' / 'affection', 'rain' / 'downpour', and is sometimes translated as 'beautiful eyes'.

Current Rank
#5,466
Peak Rank
#966 (2004)
Total Babies
4K
5-Yr Trend
-20%
1969
First Year
2026
Last Year
2004
Peak Year
#966
Peak Rank
4K
Total Count
58
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Neha

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Neha is a popular Hindi/ Sanskrit Indian feminine given name, often found in the Hindu community. It means 'love' / 'affection', 'rain' / 'downpour', and is sometimes translated as 'beautiful eyes'.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
The name Neha has multiple origins. It may mean one of the following: 'love' or 'affection', when derived from Sneha ( Sanskrit: स्नेह ); 'rain' or 'downpour', when derived from Nehal ( Sanskrit: नेहल ); or 'beautiful eyes', when referencing common beliefs across Indian baby naming sites.

The Story of Neha

Neha first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1969, with 9 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2004, when 223 Nehas were born — ranking #1,038 that year. As of 2026, Neha ranks #5,466 for baby girls with 23 births, falling sharply (-20%). In total, more than 4K Nehas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Neha

Phonetically similar names — useful when Neha is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Neha

What does the name Neha mean?
Neha is a popular Hindi/ Sanskrit Indian feminine given name, often found in the Hindu community. It means 'love' / 'affection', 'rain' / 'downpour', and is sometimes translated as 'beautiful eyes'.
How popular is Neha in 2026?
In 2026, Neha ranks #5,466 among girls' names in the U.S., with 23 babies given the name that year.
When was Neha most popular?
Neha reached its peak popularity in 2004, ranking #966 that year with 223 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Neha most popular?
Neha has historically been most popular in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Virginia. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Neha.
Is Neha a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Neha is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Neha?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Neha include Izola, Jacqulyn, Zandra. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Neha

Neha is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1969 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Neha's peak popularity came in 2004 when it ranked #966. Use the chart and map above to compare Neha's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.