Given name & surname
Neila
“a champion”
Neila is a variant of Neala. In Gaelic use, Neala carries the interpretation “a champion.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Neila is a variant of Neala. In Gaelic use, Neala carries the interpretation “a champion.”
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1900. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Neila through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,405
- 0 boys · 1,405 girls
- Most popular year
- 2009
- 47 babies
- 2025
- 34
- #4,245 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +2%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 34 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 4,245 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 2.2% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 47 in 2009. In 2025, Florida had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (7). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,336 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.
Neila’s family of names
Neila has a related form in Neala. In Greek usage, Neila as a surname is a transliteration of Νείλα.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Neila
- Neila TavaresBrazilian actress1948–2022
- Naila AyeshPalestinian activistborn 1960
- Neila GonjiTunisian senior civil servant and politicianborn 1959
- Neila MedeirosBrazilian journalistborn 1977
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Neila, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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