Given name · also English
Neela
“a champion”·“referring to a horn”
Neela is a variant of Neala. In Gaelic use, Neala carries the interpretation “a champion.” In German use, Neela is a short form of Cornelia. In Latin use, Cornelia carries the interpretation “referring to a horn.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Neela is a variant of Neala. In Gaelic use, Neala carries the interpretation “a champion.” In German use, Neela is a short form of Cornelia. In Latin use, Cornelia carries the interpretation “referring to a horn.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Neela comes from English, and ultimately from Sanskrit.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
How it developed
In German usage, Neela is a short form of Cornelia.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1972. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Neela through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,374
- 0 boys · 1,374 girls
- Most popular year
- 2007
- 103 babies
- 2025
- 47
- #3,332 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- 0%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 47 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 3,332 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was virtually unchanged in 2021–2025 compared with 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 103 in 2007. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (15). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,625 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.
Neela’s family of names
In German usage, Neela is a short form of Cornelia. In German usage, Neela has a related form in NELA. In German usage, Neela has a related form in NELA.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Neela
Characters named Neela: Neela Rasgotra (fictional human).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Neela, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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