Nella
Every Nella since 1880 — 4,374 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Nella
Nella is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #2,852 in 2025 with 60 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 4,374 American babies have been named Nella. Its peak came in 1927, when 81 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Nella stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Nella year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 60 | #2,852 |
| 2024 | 61 | #2,791 |
| 2023 | 61 | #2,813 |
| 2022 | 81 | #2,311 |
| 2021 | 72 | #2,477 |
| 2020 | 66 | #2,590 |
| 2019 | 74 | #2,419 |
| 2018 | 80 | #2,291 |
| 2017 | 75 | #2,419 |
| 2016 | 58 | #2,928 |
| 2015 | 60 | #2,920 |
| 2014 | 63 | #2,771 |
| 2013 | 51 | #3,210 |
| 2012 | 58 | #2,968 |
| 2011 | 39 | #3,894 |
| 2010 | 39 | #3,937 |
| 2009 | 48 | #3,446 |
| 2008 | 32 | #4,733 |
| 2007 | 22 | #6,263 |
| 2006 | 25 | #5,505 |
| 2005 | 12 | #9,289 |
| 2004 | 15 | #7,722 |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | 12 | #8,675 |
| 2001 | 6 | #14,815 |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1975 | 10 | #5,836 |
| 1970 | 11 | #4,974 |
| 1965 | 18 | #3,017 |
| 1960 | 25 | #2,414 |
| 1955 | 23 | #2,322 |
| 1950 | 31 | #1,706 |
| 1945 | 33 | #1,412 |
| 1940 | 61 | #922 |
| 1935 | 59 | #900 |
| 1930 | 68 | #877 |
| 1925 | 74 | #868 |
| 1920 | 57 | #976 |
| 1915 | 48 | #963 |
| 1910 | 34 | #734 |
| 1905 | 22 | #795 |
| 1900 | 14 | #1,046 |
| 1895 | 18 | #760 |
| 1890 | 9 | #987 |
| 1885 | 10 | #729 |
| 1880 | 10 | #570 |
Famous people named Nella
- Nella Larsen Writer · 1891–1964
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Nella in 2025?
Nella ranked #2,852 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 60 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Nella?
4,374 babies have been named Nella in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Nella most popular?
Nella peaked in 1927, when 81 newborns received the name.
Is Nella a boy or girl name?
Nella is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Nella rising or falling?
Nella is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Nella?
Well-known people named Nella include Nella Larsen (writer).