Given name & surname
Nili
“of the pea plant”
Nili is used as a given name and a surname. One Hebrew interpretation is “of the pea plant.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Hebrew interpretation is “of the pea plant.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hebrew.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1970. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Nili through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 266
- 0 boys · 266 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 19 babies
- 2025
- 17
- #6,758 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +73%
- Rising fast
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 17 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 6,758 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 72.5% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (6). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 430 as a first name in 2020; 115 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Nili’s family of names
Nili has a related form in Nilea. Nili has a related form in Nilee. Nili has a related form in Nileigh.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
People named Nili
- Nilli LavieBritish psychologist
- Nili TalIsraeli journalist and documentary film director-producer (1944–2024)
- Nili BroshIsraeli-American guitaristborn 1988
- Nili AbramskiIsraeli distance runnerborn 1970
- Nili BlockIsraeli kickboxer and Muay Thai fighterborn 1995
- Nili NatkhoIsraeli basketball player (1982–2004)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Nili, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Noa
“an active woman; movement”
13% boys · 87% girls
Talia
“morning dew from heaven” · “blooming”
>99% girls
Briella
Briella is a feminine given name from Hebrew.
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Mayim
“water”
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Tirsa
“pleasant”
>99% girls
Ioana
Ioana is a feminine given name from Hebrew. It is used in Romanian.
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Ysabelle
“my God is bountiful”
>99% girls
Eliana
“The Lord answers our prayers”
>99% girls