Nina
Girl name · #324 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Nina? In official American birth records, Nina has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Nina ranks #324 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 946 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #299, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,903 girls born in 2025 was named Nina.
The 145-year story
Nina first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 119 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1980, when 1,889 girls were named Nina — good for #148 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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.
Babies named Nina per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Nina against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Nina in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Nina is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Nina is most common
Geography matters for names, and Nina is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Nina is most common in CT (2 per 1,000), MA (1.3 per 1,000), NY (1.3 per 1,000), NJ (1.3 per 1,000), MI (1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.7 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Nina is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Nina
Statistically, parents drawn to Nina tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Joanna, Sabrina, Marina, Ana, and Celina.
JoannaSabrinaMarinaAnaCelinaCarolinaSerenaAisha
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Nina | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 946 | #324 |
| 2024 | 960 | #321 |
| 2023 | 920 | #338 |
| 2022 | 1,025 | #312 |
| 2021 | 1,005 | #323 |
| 2020 | 944 | #327 |
| 2019 | 1,006 | #318 |
| 2018 | 1,029 | #319 |
| 2017 | 1,020 | #319 |
| 2016 | 1,047 | #309 |
| 2015 | 1,080 | #299 |
| 2014 | 1,110 | #295 |
| 2013 | 1,116 | #284 |
| 2012 | 1,093 | #290 |
| 2011 | 1,051 | #303 |
| 2010 | 1,002 | #318 |
| 2009 | 1,149 | #289 |
| 2008 | 1,230 | #277 |
| 2007 | 1,270 | #268 |
| 2006 | 1,212 | #276 |
| 2005 | 1,287 | #252 |
| 2004 | 1,326 | #243 |
| 2003 | 1,356 | #239 |
| 2002 | 1,320 | #243 |
| 2001 | 1,306 | #243 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Nina?
In official American birth records, the name Nina first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 119 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Nina a popular girl name?
Nina ranked #324 among girls in 2025 with 946 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #299.
When was the name Nina most popular?
Nina peaked in 1980, when 1,889 American girls received the name (ranked #148 that year). Since 1980 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Nina?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,903 newborn American girls was named Nina. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.