Girl · #8,223 in 2026

Nyala

The lowland nyala or simply nyala is a spiral-horned artiodactyl antelope native to Southern Africa. The species is part of the family Bovidae and the genus Tragelaphus. It was first described in 1849 by George French Angas and exhibits the highest sexual dimorphism among the spiral-horned antelopes. It is not to be confused with the endangered mountain nyala living in the Bale region of Ethiopia.

  • Various
Current Rank
#8,223
Peak Rank
#7,066 (2009)
Total Babies
347
5-Yr Trend
+9%
1987
First Year
2026
Last Year
2009
Peak Year
#7066
Peak Rank
347
Total Count
32
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Nyala

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

The lowland nyala or simply nyala is a spiral-horned artiodactyl antelope native to Southern Africa. The species is part of the family Bovidae and the genus Tragelaphus. It was first described in 1849 by George French Angas and exhibits the highest sexual dimorphism among the spiral-horned antelopes. It is not to be confused with the endangered mountain nyala living in the Bale region of Ethiopia.

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

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • Various

The Story of Nyala

The earliest SSA record of Nyala as a baby girl name dates back to 1987, when 6 babies received it. 2009 was its biggest year on record, with 18 newborns named Nyala — #7,066 in the national rankings. About 34% of every Nyala on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Nyala ranks #8,223 for baby girls with 12 births, gradually rising (+9%). All told, over 347 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1980s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
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WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
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VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
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OK
LA
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HI
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Top 10
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No data

Names that sound like Nyala

Phonetically similar names — useful when Nyala 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 Nyala

What does the name Nyala mean?
The lowland nyala or simply nyala is a spiral-horned artiodactyl antelope native to Southern Africa. The species is part of the family Bovidae and the genus Tragelaphus. It was first described in 1849 by George French Angas and exhibits the highest sexual dimorphism among the spiral-horned antelopes. It is not to be confused with the endangered mountain nyala living in the Bale region of Ethiopia.
What is the origin of the name Nyala?
Nyala has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Various.
How popular is Nyala in 2026?
In 2026, Nyala ranks #8,223 among girls' names in the U.S., with 12 babies given the name that year.
When was Nyala most popular?
Nyala reached its peak popularity in 2009, ranking #7,066 that year with 18 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Nyala most popular?
Nyala has historically been most popular in New York. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Nyala.
Is Nyala a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Nyala is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Nyala?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Nyala include Angeleen, Jezel, Jannessa. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Angeleen
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Jezel
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Jannessa
Peak #7066
👧
Kleigh
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👧
Jaleena
Peak #7066
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Yazmyne
Peak #7066
👧
Deziah
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👧
Jameah
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About the name Nyala

Nyala is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1987 and has accumulated 347 births in the dataset. Nyala's peak popularity came in 2009 when it ranked #7,066. Use the chart and map above to compare Nyala'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.