Nella is a girl name with a rare feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Nella means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Nella across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Nella has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Nella is a girl name of Greek origin meaning “light; horn”. A short form of names like Eleanor or Antonella.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 4,374 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 592 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 8 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 3 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 28 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Nella per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1927 (81/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2019 (60/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2022 (5/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2022 (5/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2019 (3/yr).
Nella is an uncommon baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1927, when it ranked #1,473 nationally (given to 81 babies that year).
Nellie · Neil · Nell · Noelle · Neal · Nyla · Nelle · Nola
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