Given name & surname · also African
Nala
“a successful woman”·“of the olive tree”
Nala is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “a successful woman” and “of the olive tree”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “a successful woman” and “of the olive tree”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with African and Latin naming traditions.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1979. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Nala through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 6,138
- 0 boys · 6,138 girls
- Most popular year
- 2019
- 428 babies
- 2025
- 317
- #856 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −10%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 317 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 856 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 9.7% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 428 in 2019. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (38). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 3,507 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Nala’s family of names
Nala has a related form in Nalia. Nala has a related form in Nalah. Nala has a related form in Nalea.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Nala
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Nala, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Magenta
“the camp named Maxentia”
>99% girls
Ayla
“from the oak tree”
>99% girls
Anaya
“one who looks up to God”
>99% girls
Nova
“new; a bright star” · “a butterfly chaser”
5% boys · 95% girls
Brynlee
“from the burnt meadow”
>99% girls
Stella
“star of the sea”
>99% girls
Aspen
“from the aspen tree”
13% boys · 87% girls
Kailani
“of the sky and sea”
>99% girls