ESC 

Name Rank Total 

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👦As Boy Name

1974

First Year

2018

Last Year

2006

Peak Year

#6460

Peak Rank

234

Total Count

30

Years Active

👧As Girl Name

2009

First Year

2023

Last Year

2023

Peak Year

#12180

Peak Rank

17

Total Count

3

Years Active

🌍

## Meaning & Origin of Nilay

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

Nilay is a female given name of Turkish origin. Ay means moon and Nil means the river Nile in Turkish language. The name means Moon of the Nile.

Source: [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nilay) (CC BY-SA 3.0). [Read more → ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nilay)

📖

## The Story of Nilay

### As a girl name

Nilay first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2009, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2023: 7 births, good for #12,180 nationwide. About 71% of every Nilay on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. Nilay last appeared in the published SSA data in 2023, with 7 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 17 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2000s to the 2020s.

### As a boy name

The earliest SSA record of Nilay as a boy name dates back to 1974, when 5 babies received it. 2006 was its biggest year on record, with 12 newborns named Nilay — #6,460 in the national rankings. About 39% of every Nilay on record arrived during the 2000s, its defining decade. Nilay last appeared in the published SSA data in 2018, with 6 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 234 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1970s to the 2020s.

## Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys 

## Popularity by State

👧 Girls 👦 Boys 

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 Nilay

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

* Nulla
* Nullah
* Molay
* [Nelly](/nelly)
* [Nellie](/nellie)
* Nilly
* [Nella](/nella)
* [Nyla](/nyla)
* [Nelli](/nelli)
* [Nela](/nela)
* [Nello](/nello)
* [Neli](/neli)

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

❓

## Frequently Asked Questions about Nilay

What does the name Nilay mean?

Nilay is a female given name of Turkish origin. Ay means moon and Nil means the river Nile in Turkish language. The name means Moon of the Nile.

How popular is Nilay in 2026?

In 2026, Nilay ranks #10,757 among boys' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.

When was Nilay most popular?

Nilay reached its peak popularity in 2006, ranking #6,460 that year with 12 babies given the name.

Is Nilay a unisex name?

Yes — Nilay is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 7% of Nilays assigned female and 93% assigned male historically.

What names go well with Nilay?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Nilay include Ermin, Willliam, Ilario. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

## Similar Names

### 👦 Similar Boy Names 

[👦ErminPeak #6460](/ermin)[👦WillliamPeak #6460](/willliam)[👦IlarioPeak #6460](/ilario)[👦TagPeak #6460](/tag)

### 👧 Similar Girl Names 

[👧WyomingPeak #12180](/wyoming)[👧SadraPeak #12180](/sadra)[👧LeissaPeak #12180](/leissa)[👧LowryPeak #12180](/lowry)

## About the name Nilay 

Nilay is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1974 and has accumulated 234 births in the dataset. Nilay's peak popularity came in 2006 when it ranked #6,460\. Use the chart and map above to compare Nilay's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

### Continue exploring 

* [ Top names of 2006 → ](/year/2006)
* [ Names of the 2000s → ](/decade/2000s)
* [ Names starting with "N" → ](/letter/n)
* [ Browse all boy names → ](/names/boys)
* [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026)
* [ Browse unisex names → ](/names/unisex)

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.