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© 2026 Namesake · namesake.baby

Data: Social Security Administration, US births 1880–2024

Nihal — Meaning, Origin & Popularity | Namesake
All names
Nihaan|Nihan
Sanskrit◈ Unisex · 52% boy · 48% girl↑↑ Surging

◈= unisex (gender-neutral)

Nihal

◈

nee-HAHL · 2 syllables

Share Nihal:
Compare with another name
Boy
#3024
↑↑ Surging
Boy
#3024
Popularity score: 19
↑↑ Surging
Peak
#3024 in 2024
5yr
+575 ranks
Velocity
+575
Birth frequency
1.1 per 100,000 births
Girl
#7471
Popularity score: 10
↑↑ Surging
Peak
#7471 in 2024
5yr
+5605 ranks
Velocity
+5605
Birth frequency
4.2 per 1,000,000 births

Popularity Over Time

↑ Higher on this chart = more popular · ↓ Lower = less popular

How Popular Is This Name?

Bars show the range of popularity for each group. The dot shows where this name sits. Further right = more popular.

BOY
Average0255075100Popularity score (0–100)20202024

Rank #3024 · Rising since 2020

All US boy names
Top 200 boy names
Sanskrit boy names
Nihal

Popularity score: 19  ·  SSA Rank: #3024

GIRL
Average0255075100Popularity score (0–100)20202024

Rank #7471 · Rising since 2020

All US girl names
Top 200 girl names
Sanskrit girl names
Nihal

Popularity score: 10  ·  SSA Rank: #7471

Rare  ·  Distinctive  ·  Familiar  ·  Common  ·  Very Common

Popularity score: 0 = least popular, 100 = most popular. Based on SSA rank.

Namesake Score
84
Higher than 84% of names
Combines uniqueness, trend, meaning, feasibility, and search interest.
Trend
↑↑ Surging
+575 ranks
Based on SSA rank velocity
Feasibility
Limited
.com taken · — · clear
Low friction, available
Uniqueness
55
6 per 10,000 births
Won't be common in class

Nihal is surging in popularity right now.

Meaning Depth37% of score
60
Name Trend28% of score
88
Uniqueness20% of score
55
Feasibility15% of score
50

Scores are percentile-ranked across 43,000+ names.

Name DNA
SanskritHindiSouth AsianUnisex2-syllableModernMeaningfulAuspicious
Character
auspicious fortune-bringer
People with this name

Qualities shared by notable Nihals

strategicbrilliantdeterminedpreciseambitious
STRONG
High confidence

Nihal is a Sanskrit unisex name with upward momentum in SSA rankings. It ranked #3024 in the US in 2024.

Trend:↑↑ Surging · +575 ranks
Feasibility:.com taken · — · clear
Popularity:#3024 · very rare
Nihal at a Glance
Meaning:Prosperous, successful, or shining. Used in South Asian cultures to convey auspiciousness and positive fortune.
Language root:Sanskrit · Hindi
Peak rank:#3024 in 2024
5yr change:+575 ranks
Sex usage:Boy #3024 · Girl #7471
Notable bearers
Nihal Arthanayake
Journalist and NPR host
Nihal Sarin
Chess grandmaster
Similar Sound
NeelNico◈NiloNialNiah
Similar Style
ArjunRohan◈AdityaLeifKai◈
Works well with
MayaArjunAnayaDevIshaRishiPriyaAmir
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Arjun
Sanskrit · #581
→ Stable
Rohan◈
Irish · #840
→ Stable
Aditya
Sanskrit · #2128
↓ Fading
Leif
Norse · #925
↓ Declining
Kai◈
English · #76
→ Stable
Kash
Sanskrit · #293
↓ Declining
Source: Social Security Administration baby names data. Popularity data reflects US births. Feasibility data updated monthly.
Nihal illustration
Name Intelligence
Nihal · Overview
Summary

Nihal is a Sanskrit unisex name with upward momentum in SSA rankings. It ranked #3024 in the US in 2024.

Search interest: 0/100 → Stable

Strengths
Strong fundamentals
Nihal scores 84/100 on the Namesake scale — meaning, origin, and trend all contribute positively.
Surging fast
Rank has moved 575 positions in the last year. Exceptional momentum.
Works for any sex
52% boy · 48% girl. A genuinely unisex name is rare at this level of distinctiveness.
Meaningful · Modern character
Nihal carries a warm, grounded quality that makes it distinctive without being invented.
Considerations
Rising very fast
Nihal is surging. If the trend continues, it may become significantly more common within 2-3 years.
Domain taken
nihal.com is not available. Alternative TLDs may work.
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Data source:Social Security Administration
Coverage:US births 1879–2024
Updated:January 2025
ISR:Refreshes monthly
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