ESC 

Name Rank Total 

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1903

First Year

2026

Last Year

2019

Peak Year

#1727

Peak Rank

620

Total Count

59

Years Active

📖

## The Story of Nela

Nela first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1903, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2019, when 27 Nelas were born — ranking #4,907 that year. As of 2026, Nela ranks #6,408 for baby girls with 18 births, holding steady (-2%). In total, more than 620 Nelas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s 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 Nela

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

* [Nella](/nella)
* [Nyla](/nyla)
* Nulla
* Nullah
* [Nelly](/nelly)
* [Nola](/nola)
* [Nellie](/nellie)
* [Nala](/nala)
* [Nila](/nila)
* [Nelli](/nelli)
* [Nello](/nello)
* [Neli](/neli)

Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. 

❓

## Frequently Asked Questions about Nela

What does the name Nela mean?

Nela is a girl's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1903\. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Nela in 2026?

In 2026, Nela ranks #6,408 among girls' names in the U.S., with 18 babies given the name that year.

When was Nela most popular?

Nela reached its peak popularity in 2019, ranking #1,727 that year with 27 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Nela most popular?

Nela has historically been most popular in Illinois, New Jersey, Florida. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Nela.

Is Nela a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Nela is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Nela?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Nela include Ladie, Nellda, Ocey. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

## Similar Names

[👧LadiePeak #1727](/ladie)[👧NelldaPeak #1727](/nellda)[👧OceyPeak #1727](/ocey)[👧JesikaPeak #1727](/jesika)[👧ElzoraPeak #1728](/elzora)[👧DonnellPeak #1728](/donnell)[👧TovaPeak #1726](/tova)[👧MarchellPeak #1726](/marchell)

## About the name Nela 

Nela is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1903 and has accumulated 620 births in the dataset. Nela's peak popularity came in 2019 when it ranked #1,727\. Use the chart and map above to compare Nela's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

### Continue exploring 

* [ Top names of 2019 → ](/year/2019)
* [ Names of the 2010s → ](/decade/2010s)
* [ Names starting with "N" → ](/letter/n)
* [ Browse all girl names → ](/names/girls)
* [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026)

Data sources

* Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. [Social Security Administration ](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/). 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 ](https://www.behindthename.com/) (used under their public API terms).
* Meaning prose and editorial summary — [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/) article extracts, licensed under [CC BY-SA 3.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/).
* Predicted nationality distribution — [Nationalize.io ](https://nationalize.io/).
* Phonetically similar names — [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/).

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.