Given name

Nyala

“resembling an antelope”

Nyala is used as a given name. One African interpretation is “resembling an antelope.”

Meaning & origin

What it means

One African interpretation is “resembling an antelope.”

Where it comes from

An origin associated with this spelling is African.

The story

Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1987. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.

From dated birth records

Nyala through the years

Babies since 1880
331
0 boys · 331 girls
Most popular year
2009
18 babies
2025
7
#12,841 for girls
2021–25 vs 2016–20
+8%
Steady
02.557.51020002025Highest share 20094.4
Nyala in U.S. Social Security birth records, 1987–2025, per million girls born. Years with fewer than five births for a sex are not published and appear as zero. Use the arrow keys to step through years.

By the numbers

In 2025, this name appeared in 7 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 12,841 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 7.5% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 18 in 2009. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 247 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.

Nyala’s family of names

Nyala has a related form in Nyalah. Nyala has a related form in Nyalla. Nyala has a related form in Nyallah.

Walk Nyala’s family in the name graph

NyalaNyalahNyallahNyallaNjala

Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.

Hover or tab through the constellation to see how each name is related. Bigger dots are names more people in the U.S. share.

Nicknames & forms 3

Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.

Across languages 1

Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.

Similar names

If you love Nyala, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.

African · Modern

Nyarai

“one who is humble”

0Not recently recorded

>99% girls

Arabic · Modern

Naima

“a contented woman” · “one who brings comfort and peace”

39RareEasing

>99% girls

African · Modern

Nya

“a tenacious woman”

34RareEasing

>99% girls

African · Modern

Ramla

“a prophetess”

17Very rareEasing

>99% girls

African · Modern

Penda

“one who loves and is loved” · “one who is dearly loved”

11Very rare

>99% girls

African · Modern

Adeola

“one who wears a crown of honor”

14Very rareCooling

17% boys · 83% girls

African · Modern

Maizah

“one who has good judgment and keen insight”

11Very rare

>99% girls

African · Modern

Neema

“born into prosperity”

27RareSteady

>99% girls

Sibling ideas

Names that share Nyala’s feel without repeating its first letter or rhyming with it.

A brother for Nyala

A sister for Nyala