Nelya
How to say it: ne-LYA · /neˈlja/
Slavic diminutive of Nelli or Elena, Greek 'bright light' - used independently in Russia and Ukraine.
Nelya was the 4,645th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 6 babies (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are down about 26% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #3,903 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 | #4,645 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 6 |
| Share of births | 1 in 165,767 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | −26% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #3,903 |
| In France, 2025 | #56 among girls’ names, 650 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Nelya is a newcomer: almost all of its history is from the last forty years.
What goes with it
Nicknames
- Nely
- Nela
- Elya
Honouring a Nelya in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Nelya is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, Greek, Russian.
In France: #56 for girls in 2025.
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