Nala

Nala - A very unique female name

Nala appeared on the charts for the first time in 1994 on position #3490. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Nala and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Nala? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Nala. The baby girl name Nala was given to 262 baby girls in 2025, ranking #868 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 4,975 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Nala peaked in popularity 7 years ago in 2019 on position 673.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Nala, 1-5?

Nala is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Nala is currently topping the baby name charts in Georgia at position #575 - and is the least popular in Pennsylvania at position #1,553.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Nala is where you live.

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Nala origin and meaning

Popularised by fiction; origin uncertain

Uncertain — Nala was the lioness in Disney's The Lion King (1994), and claims that it means 'gift' in an African language or comes from a Sanskrit word are folk claims that are not documented for the name's US use

Nala enters US data in 1994, the year The Lion King was released, and the timing is the story: the film created the name's American life. It peaked in 2019 and has eased since, but the character remains the name's anchor.

Origin uncertain

Nala is a 4 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Nala, pop culture references for the name Nala and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Nala

We've found the following names that sound similar to Nala, sorted by popularity.

Nellie / Noelle / Nyla / Nayeli / Nola / Nell / Nylah / Noel / Noelia / Nelly /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Nala

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Nala a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Nala?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

NAH-luh · /ˈnɑːlə/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Nahla — A similar-sounding Arabic name, a separate established name
• Nyla — A sound-alike modern name, a separate established name

Famous bearers

• Nala — The lioness heroine of Disney's The Lion King (Fictional, 1994) Fictional

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Nala for its soft, two-syllable warmth and, often, for the Lion King heroine — brave, loyal and familiar to a whole generation.

Worth knowing

• The Lion King association is total; there is no second reference point