Nihal: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#2,971

among boys · ↑62 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Nihal · -4% vs 2024

How common

1 in 40,668

boys born in 2025

Peak year

2016

61 babies

All-time total

1,063

#5,796 all-time among boys

First recorded

1993

in Social Security records

Nihal popularity over time

1,063 babies have been named Nihal since 1993, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Girls	Boys	Total	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1900s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1910s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1920s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1930s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1940s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1950s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1960s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1970s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1980s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1990s	6	46	52	5	–	#5,567
2000s	28	235	263	26	+406%	#3,069
2010s	133	343	476	48	+81%	#2,875
2020s (to 2025)	71	201	272	45	-5%	#2,971

Where Nihal is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 boys	Implied rank
2026	44	0.03	outside top 500
2027	46	0.03	outside top 500
2028	47	0.03	outside top 500
2029	49	0.03	outside top 500
2030	50	0.03	outside top 500

The story of Nihal

Nihal is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,971 in 2025 with 42 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.

Since 1993, 1,063 American babies have been named Nihal, about 78% boys and 22% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2016, when 61 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2010s.

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 Nihal stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Nihal?

The median living Nihal is about 11 years old; half are between 5 and 17. An estimated 1,100 people named Nihal are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Nihal year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Girls	Girls rank	Boys	Boys rank
2025	12	#8,721	42	#2,971
2024	15	#7,501	41	#3,033
2023	7	#13,085	32	#3,605
2022	12	#8,906	25	#4,258
2021	14	#7,914	39	#3,107
2020	11	#9,376	22	#4,507
2019	10	#10,272	34	#3,407
2018	12	#9,010	30	#3,678
2017	17	#7,020	37	#3,175
2016	23	#5,747	38	#3,103
2015	11	#9,967	41	#2,900
2014	13	#8,832	41	#2,875
2013	18	#6,945	35	#3,168
2012	9	#11,973	30	#3,604
2011	14	#8,515	30	#3,576
2010	6	#16,411	27	#3,870
2009	8	#13,360	28	#3,797
2008	6	#16,907	25	#4,108
2007	9	#12,386	25	#4,085
2006	–	–	18	#5,001
2005	–	–	34	#3,069
2004	–	–	31	#3,199
2003	–	–	18	#4,568
2002	–	–	13	#5,634
2001	5	#17,212	24	#3,589
2000	–	–	19	#4,167
1995	–	–	9	#6,260
1990	–	–	–	–
1985	–	–	–	–
1980	–	–	–	–
1975	–	–	–	–
1970	–	–	–	–
1965	–	–	–	–
1960	–	–	–	–
1955	–	–	–	–
1950	–	–	–	–
1945	–	–	–	–
1940	–	–	–	–
1935	–	–	–	–
1930	–	–	–	–
1925	–	–	–	–
1920	–	–	–	–
1915	–	–	–	–
1910	–	–	–	–
1905	–	–	–	–
1900	–	–	–	–
1895	–	–	–	–
1890	–	–	–	–
1885	–	–	–	–
1880	–	–	–	–

Famous people named Nihal

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

1 Nihal Atsız Turkish ultranationalist writer, novelist, and poet (1905–1975) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Nihal, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Nihal?

The median living Nihal is about 11 years old. Half of all living Nihals are between 5 and 17 years old.

How many people named Nihal are alive today?

An estimated 1,100 people named Nihal are alive in the United States, based on 1,063 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Nihal mean?

Nihal or Nahal is an Asian given name that may refer to the following notable people:Nihal Arthanayake, English radio and TV presenter known as DJ Nihal Nihal Atsız, Turkish writer Nihal Bhareti, Sri Lankan radio personality Nihal

How popular is the name Nihal in 2025?

Nihal ranked #2,971 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 42 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Nihal?

1,063 babies have been named Nihal in the United States since 1993, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Nihal most popular?

Nihal peaked in 2016, when 61 newborns received the name.

Is Nihal a boy or girl name?

Nihal is used for both: about 22% of babies named Nihal have been girls and 78% boys.

Is the name Nihal rising or falling?

Nihal has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Will Nihal become more popular?

Nihal is trending upward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 50 boys named Nihal in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Nihal?

Well-known people named Nihal include Nihal Atsız (writer).

Names like Nihal

Names that sound and feel close to Nihal: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Nihal with similar names → More names starting with N →