Nella
How to say it: NEL-luh · /ˈnɛlə/
Italian diminutive of Antonella, Mariella and Eleanor - meaning 'light' or 'horn', vintage revival name.
Nella was the 1,447th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 60 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1880s, its births are down about 10% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #1,553 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #1,447 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 60 |
| Share of births | 1 in 30,984 |
| Peak decade | 1880s |
| Change over 10 years | −10% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,553 |
| In France, 2025 | #667 among girls’ names, 20 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Nella peaked in the 1880s, nearly vanished by the 1990s, and has come back.
What goes with it
Nicknames
- Nell
- Nelly
Other spellings
Honouring a Nella in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Nella is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish.
In France: #667 for girls in 2025.
Famous people named Nella
- Nella Larsen (1891–1964)American novelist, librarian, nurse
- Nella Walker (1886–1971)Actress
- Nella Martinetti (1946–2011)Swiss singer
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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