Girl · #15,178 in 2026

Neiva

Neiva is the capital and most populated city of the Department of Huila, south central Colombia. It is located in the valley of the Magdalena River with a municipal population of 392,009 as on 2026. It is one of the most important cities in southern Colombia, mainly because of its strategic geographical location.

Current Rank
#15,178
Peak Rank
#3,483 (1988)
Total Babies
124
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1988
First Year
2023
Last Year
1988
Peak Year
#3483
Peak Rank
124
Total Count
15
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Neiva

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

Neiva is the capital and most populated city of the Department of Huila, south central Colombia. It is located in the valley of the Magdalena River with a municipal population of 392,009 as on 2026. It is one of the most important cities in southern Colombia, mainly because of its strategic geographical location.

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

Origin & history
Neiva was first founded in 1539 by Juan de Cabrera in an area now belonging to the municipality of Campoalegre . In 1550, Juan de Alonso y Arias relocated the city to the place that is now the municipality of Villavieja . At this location, the city was destroyed by indigenous tribes in 1560. The city was founded, at its current location, for the third and final time in 1612 by Diego de Ospina y Medinilla. Neiva became important during the colonial times because of its strategic location. It was located in the trade route that communicated the Viceroyalty of Peru with Bogotá and Caracas . The c

The Story of Neiva

Neiva first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1988, with 27 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1988, when 27 Neivas were born — ranking #3,483 that year. As of 2026, Neiva ranks #15,178 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 124 Neivas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Notable people named Neiva

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

  • Misael Pastrana Borrero , president of Colombia
  • Olga Duque de Ospina , senator and governor of Huila
  • Rodrigo Lara , lawyer and politician
  • Natalia Valenzuela , model, presenter and beauty pageant titleholder
  • Claudia Bahamón , model and presenter
  • María Alejandra Salazar , model and beauty pageant titleholder

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

Names that sound like Neiva

Phonetically similar names — useful when Neiva 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 Neiva

What does the name Neiva mean?
Neiva is the capital and most populated city of the Department of Huila, south central Colombia. It is located in the valley of the Magdalena River with a municipal population of 392,009 as on 2026. It is one of the most important cities in southern Colombia, mainly because of its strategic geographical location.
How popular is Neiva in 2026?
In 2026, Neiva ranks #15,178 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Neiva most popular?
Neiva reached its peak popularity in 1988, ranking #3,483 that year with 27 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Neiva most popular?
Neiva has historically been most popular in Texas, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Neiva.
Is Neiva a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Neiva is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Neiva?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Neiva include Sheela, Jacques, Shenelle. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Sheela
Peak #3483
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Jacques
Peak #3483
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Shenelle
Peak #3483
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Jehan
Peak #3483
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Radiance
Peak #3483
👧
Satori
Peak #3483
👧
Yeraldin
Peak #3483
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Lonnette
Peak #3484

About the name Neiva

Neiva is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1988 and has accumulated 124 births in the dataset. Neiva's peak popularity came in 1988 when it ranked #3,483. Use the chart and map above to compare Neiva'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.