Nehal
Nehal is a South Asian and Middle Eastern name derived from Sanskrit meaning "intelligent" or "born at a time of intelligence".
Meaning & Origin of Nehal
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Nehal is a South Asian and Middle Eastern name derived from Sanskrit meaning "intelligent" or "born at a time of intelligence".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Nehal
As a girl name
Nehal first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1980, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2011, when 15 Nehals were born — ranking #7,782 that year. As of 2026, Nehal ranks #11,156 for girls with 8 births, with steady use. In total, more than 197 Nehals have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Nehal first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1973, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2002, when 9 Nehals were born — ranking #7,054 that year. As of 2026, Nehal ranks #10,757 for boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 77 Nehals have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Nehal
Phonetically similar names — useful when Nehal 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 Nehal
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About the name Nehal
Nehal is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1980 and has accumulated 197 births in the dataset. Nehal's peak popularity came in 2011 when it ranked #7,782. Use the chart and map above to compare Nehal's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2011 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "N" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.