Nya is a girl name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Nya means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Nya across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Nya has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Nya is a girl name of African (Swahili) origin meaning “purpose; also aim”. A short modern name with African and other roots.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 6,006 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 468 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 11 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 Nya per year, United States (1970 to 2025). United States peaked in 2001 (408/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2023 (39/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2023 (4/yr).
Nya is an uncommon baby name in the United States. It was most common in 2001, when it ranked #1,144 nationally (given to 424 babies that year).
Noah · Noa · Nia · Nyah · Noe · Naya · Niya · Neo
Not sure if it's the one? The best way to know is to see if your partner loves it too. Swipe baby names with your partner and match on the ones you both ❤️, free, no account needed to start.
Find your name together →