Girl · #9,670 in 2026

Nigeria

Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of 923,769 square kilometres (356,669 mi2). With a population of more than 242 million, it is the most populous country in Africa, and the world's sixth-most populous country.

Current Rank
#9,670
Peak Rank
#2,569 (2000)
Total Babies
805
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1975
First Year
2022
Last Year
2000
Peak Year
#2569
Peak Rank
805
Total Count
45
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Nigeria

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

Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of 923,769 square kilometres (356,669 mi2). With a population of more than 242 million, it is the most populous country in Africa, and the world's sixth-most populous country.

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

Etymology
The name Nigeria derives from the Niger River running through the country. This name was coined on 8 January 1897, by the British journalist Flora Shaw . The neighbouring Republic of Niger takes its name from the same river. The origin of the name Niger , which originally applied to only the middle reaches of the Niger River, is uncertain. The word is likely an alteration of the Tuareg name egerew n-iger ewen ("river of rivers") used by inhabitants along the middle reaches of the river around Timbuktu before 19th-century European colonialism . Before Flora Shaw suggested the name Nigeria , oth
Origin & history
Main articles: History of Nigeria and Timeline of Nigerian history

The Story of Nigeria

The earliest SSA record of Nigeria as a baby girl name dates back to 1975, when 5 babies received it. 2000 was its biggest year on record, with 58 newborns named Nigeria — #2,569 in the national rankings. About 38% of every Nigeria on record arrived during the 1990s, its defining decade. Nigeria last appeared in the published SSA data in 2022, with 10 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 805 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1970s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Names that sound like Nigeria

Phonetically similar names — useful when Nigeria 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 Nigeria

What does the name Nigeria mean?
Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of 923,769 square kilometres (356,669 mi2). With a population of more than 242 million, it is the most populous country in Africa, and the world's sixth-most populous country.
How popular is Nigeria in 2026?
In 2026, Nigeria ranks #9,670 among girls' names in the U.S., with 10 babies given the name that year.
When was Nigeria most popular?
Nigeria reached its peak popularity in 2000, ranking #2,569 that year with 58 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Nigeria most popular?
Nigeria has historically been most popular in South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Nigeria.
Is Nigeria a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Nigeria is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Nigeria?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Nigeria include Julius, Oleva, Rotha. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Julius
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Oleva
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Rotha
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Avice
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Clytee
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Ted
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Teola
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Gerturde
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About the name Nigeria

Nigeria is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1975 and has accumulated 805 births in the dataset. Nigeria's peak popularity came in 2000 when it ranked #2,569. Use the chart and map above to compare Nigeria'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.