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Home › Baby Names Directory › Nyala

Nyala

♀ Girl

Pronounced ny-AH-lah /naɪˈɑ.lɑ/Medium

Meaning: From the southern African (Bantu) nyala, 'a spiral-horned antelope'; also a place-name (a town in Sudan) and 'a mountain' in Amharic; routes layeredLow

In 30 seconds: A spiral-horned antelope; a mountain: Nyala is African. Lyrical, modern, and warm (said 'ny-AH-lah'). Routes layered.
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Origin LowAfrican, Bantu
MeaningFrom the southern African (Bantu) nyala, 'a spiral-horned antelope'; also a place-name (a town in Sudan) and 'a mountain' in Amharic; routes layered
U.S. rank (2025)#12841 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births7 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2009
Total births (all-time)≈ 331

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200919872025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Nyala comes from the southern African (Bantu) nyala, 'a spiral-horned antelope'; also a place-name (a town in Sudan) and 'a mountain' in Amharic (routes layered, which we note). A lyrical, modern name (said 'ny-AH-lah').

In the U.S. it appears in African and African American families. Rare, an-antelope at the root, and lyrical.

Did you know? Nyala is 'a spiral-horned antelope' in southern African languages — also a town in Sudan and 'a mountain' in Amharic — a lyrical, nature-linked name (the routes are layered, which we note; said 'ny-AH-lah').
Overall data confidence 30%
References — Nyala — African; routes layered

Variations

NyalahNiala

Nicknames

Nya

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Nyala…

Nyla— a sound-neighbor Ny- girls' name
Ayala— a fellow -yala girls' name
Zola— another African name
Zala— shares the -la ending
Nyara— another African name

Explore names like Nyala

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Nyala mean?

Nyala is southern African for 'a spiral-horned antelope'; also a town in Sudan and 'a mountain' in Amharic. The routes are layered.

How do you pronounce Nyala?

It's said ny-AH-lah /naɪˈɑ.lɑ/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Nyala a boy or girl name?

Nyala is a girl's name.

How popular is Nyala?

Nyala is a very rare name in the U.S.

💬 Ask Nia