Nigella
Nigella is a genus of about 25 species of annual or biennial plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to Macaronesia, southern and central Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Common names applied to members of this genus are nigella, devil-in-a-bush or love-in-a-mist.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Nigella
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Nigella is a genus of about 25 species of annual or biennial plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to Macaronesia, southern and central Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Common names applied to members of this genus are nigella, devil-in-a-bush or love-in-a-mist.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Nigella
Nigella first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 2003, with 8 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2007: 9 births, good for #11,629 nationwide. The 2000s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 71% of all recorded Nigellas. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2015 (7 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 42 Nigellas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Where is Nigella most common?
Predicted country distribution based on naming patterns globally.
- United Kingdom41%
- Netherlands16%
- Australia16%
- SC15%
- Saint Lucia11%
Source: Nationalize.io . Probabilities are global naming-pattern estimates, not strict counts.
Names that sound like Nigella
Phonetically similar names — useful when Nigella 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 Nigella
What does the name Nigella mean?
What is the origin of the name Nigella?
How popular is Nigella in 2026?
When was Nigella most popular?
Is Nigella a unisex name?
What names go well with Nigella?
About the name Nigella
Nigella is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2003 and has accumulated 42 births in the dataset. Nigella's peak popularity came in 2007 when it ranked #11,629. Use the chart and map above to compare Nigella's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2007 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "N" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.