Nilay
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.In Sanskrit and languages derived from Sanskrit, it may mean "abode" or "home".
- Turkish
- Azerbaijani
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.In Sanskrit and languages derived from Sanskrit, it may mean "abode" or "home".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Turkish
- Azerbaijani
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
Popularity by State
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.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Nilay
What does the name Nilay mean?
What is the origin of the name Nilay?
How popular is Nilay in 2026?
When was Nilay most popular?
Is Nilay a unisex name?
What names go well with Nilay?
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 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "N" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.