Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1998

Nijah

Gender Unisex · 87% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists
Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Nijah
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1998
81 babies
All-time total
1,403
#6,539 all-time among girls
First recorded
1977
in Social Security records

Nijah popularity over time

1,403 babies have been named Nijah since 1977, 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
0.010.030.040.0518801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

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 14 – 14 1 – #6,698
1980s 89 – 89 9 +536% #4,620
1990s 395 34 429 43 +382% #2,005
2000s 531 71 602 60 +40% #2,231
2010s 149 68 217 22 -64% #4,472
2020s (to 2025) 41 11 52 9 -60% #8,343

The story of Nijah

Nijah is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1977, 1,403 American babies have been named Nijah, about 87% girls and 13% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1998, when 81 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1990s.

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

How old are people named Nijah?

The median living Nijah is about 23 years old; half are between 17 and 28. An estimated 1,400 people named Nijah are alive in the United States today.

median 23 020406080100

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

Nijah 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 – – – –
2024 10 #10,052 – –
2023 5 #16,937 5 #13,588
2022 8 #11,936 6 #11,882
2021 13 #8,343 – –
2020 5 #16,849 – –
2019 8 #12,129 5 #13,555
2018 8 #12,190 – –
2017 14 #8,170 10 #7,975
2016 11 #9,914 10 #7,984
2015 15 #7,891 6 #11,689
2014 10 #10,733 13 #6,527
2013 11 #10,068 8 #9,409
2012 12 #9,556 11 #7,398
2011 27 #5,162 – –
2010 33 #4,472 5 #13,693
2009 55 #3,118 11 #7,560
2008 35 #4,427 8 #9,604
2007 30 #4,911 – –
2006 30 #4,767 6 #11,639
2005 54 #2,994 8 #8,869
2004 65 #2,579 7 #9,655
2003 75 #2,275 6 #10,496
2002 53 #2,845 9 #7,460
2001 63 #2,479 8 #8,093
2000 71 #2,231 8 #7,970
1995 39 #3,005 5 #9,869
1990 19 #5,002 – –
1985 7 #8,985 – –
1980 – – – –
1975 – – – –
1970 – – – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – – –
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Nijah?

The median living Nijah is about 23 years old. Half of all living Nijahs are between 17 and 28 years old.

How many people named Nijah are alive today?

An estimated 1,400 people named Nijah are alive in the United States, based on 1,403 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Nijah in 2025?

Nijah did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Nijah?

1,403 babies have been named Nijah in the United States since 1977, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Nijah most popular?

Nijah peaked in 1998, when 81 newborns received the name.

Is Nijah a boy or girl name?

Nijah is used for both: about 87% of babies named Nijah have been girls and 13% boys.

Is the name Nijah rising or falling?

Nijah is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Names like Nijah

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

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