Nihal
Boy name · #2973 in 2025 · Uniqueness 48/100
In 2025, 42 baby boys were named Nihal, placing it at #2973 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2864, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 42,857 boys born in 2025 was named Nihal.
Babies named Nihal per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 32-year story
Nihal first appears in the Social Security records in 1993, when 7 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 42 babies and a rank of #2941. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Nihal against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Nihal in class?
Nihal scores 48 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Nihal is most common
State-level data for Nihal is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Nihal
Statistically, parents drawn to Nihal tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Nihaal, Nylan, Nakai, Steel, and Abriel.
NihaalNylanNakaiSteelAbrielNiallHazaelAmiel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Nihal | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 42 | #2941 |
| 2024 | 41 | #3001 |
| 2023 | 32 | #3566 |
| 2022 | 25 | #4184 |
| 2021 | 39 | #3074 |
| 2020 | 22 | #4426 |
| 2019 | 34 | #3347 |
| 2018 | 30 | #3607 |
| 2017 | 37 | #3123 |
| 2016 | 38 | #3059 |
| 2015 | 41 | #2864 |
| 2014 | 41 | #2847 |
| 2013 | 35 | #3122 |
| 2012 | 30 | #3530 |
| 2011 | 30 | #3510 |
| 2010 | 27 | #3812 |
| 2009 | 28 | #3721 |
| 2008 | 25 | #4044 |
| 2007 | 25 | #4011 |
| 2006 | 18 | #4865 |
| 2005 | 34 | #3022 |
| 2004 | 31 | #3158 |
| 2003 | 18 | #4426 |
| 2002 | 13 | #5395 |
| 2001 | 24 | #3512 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Nihal a popular boy name?
Nihal ranked #2973 among boys in 2025 with 42 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2864.
When was the name Nihal most popular?
Nihal peaked in 2025, when 42 American boys received the name (ranked #2941 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Nihal?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 42,857 newborn American boys was named Nihal. It scores 48/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.