ESC 

Name Rank Total 

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1975

First Year

2026

Last Year

2007

Peak Year

#7280

Peak Rank

337

Total Count

38

Years Active

🌍

## Meaning & Origin of Neli

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

Neli is a name with multiple cultural origins: Bulgarian, Slovene.

Origin data from [Behind the Name ](https://www.behindthename.com/). 

### Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

* Bulgarian
* Slovene

📖

## The Story of Neli

American parents first put Neli on the record books as a baby girl name in 1975, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2007, when 15 Nelis were born — ranking #8,097 that year. The 2000s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 31% of all recorded Nelis. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #8,217 among baby girl names with 12 births, rising sharply (+55% over the past five years). In total, more than 337 Nelis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s 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

🔗

## Variants & Related Forms of Neli

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Neli. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. 

* [Ana](/ana)
* [Anelia](/anelia)
* [Aneliya](/aneliya)
* [Aneta](/aneta)
* [Ani](/ani)
* [Anka](/anka)
* [Anna](/anna)
* Kornelija
* Nedelya
* Nedyalka
* [Sanela](/sanela)

🎶

## Names that sound like Neli

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

* [Nelly](/nelly)
* [Nellie](/nellie)
* [Nelli](/nelli)
* Nilly
* [Nili](/nili)
* Newly
* [Nally](/nally)
* [Nella](/nella)
* [Neely](/neely)
* [Nela](/nela)
* [Nollie](/nollie)
* [Nealy](/nealy)

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

❓

## Frequently Asked Questions about Neli

What does the name Neli mean?

Neli is a name with multiple cultural origins: Bulgarian, Slovene.

What is the origin of the name Neli?

Neli has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Bulgarian, Slovene.

How popular is Neli in 2026?

In 2026, Neli ranks #8,217 among girls' names in the U.S., with 12 babies given the name that year.

When was Neli most popular?

Neli reached its peak popularity in 2007, ranking #7,280 that year with 15 babies given the name.

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

Neli has historically been most popular in Texas, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Neli.

Is Neli a unisex name?

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

What names go well with Neli?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Neli include Rai, Adea, Arzu. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

What are nicknames or variants of Neli?

Common variants and related forms of Neli include Ana, Anelia, Aneliya, Aneta, Ani, Anka. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

## Similar Names

[👧RaiPeak #7280](/rai)[👧AdeaPeak #7280](/adea)[👧ArzuPeak #7280](/arzu)[👧SuaPeak #7280](/sua)[👧AymaraPeak #7280](/aymara)[👧DalizaPeak #7280](/daliza)[👧KeilinPeak #7280](/keilin)[👧CallaghanPeak #7280](/callaghan)

## About the name Neli 

Neli is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1975 and has accumulated 337 births in the dataset. Neli's peak popularity came in 2007 when it ranked #7,280\. Use the chart and map above to compare Neli's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

### Continue exploring 

* [ Top names of 2007 → ](/year/2007)
* [ Names of the 2000s → ](/decade/2000s)
* [ 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.