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Neela as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Neela

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The baby name Neela is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced NEE-lah (IPA: /ˈniːlə/).

Neela is Sanskrit in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: NEE-lah (IPA: /ˈniːlə/)

What is the meaning of the name Neela ?

The baby name Neela is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced NEE-lah (IPA: /ˈniːlə/).

Neela is Sanskrit in Origin.

Neela is a feminine given name from Sanskrit nīla, meaning blue or sapphire, linked to the indigo dye and celestial color. In Indian tradition it connects to Niladevi, an aspect of Lakshmi, and to the calm, auspicious power of blue. Across Indo-Aryan and South Indian languages, Neela keeps this sense; it also overlaps with Tamil Nila, ‘moon,’ adding a parallel image of cool radiance.

Used across South Asia and in the global diaspora through the 20th–21st centuries, Neela pairs heritage with modern brevity. Variants and related forms include Nila, Neelam (sapphire), and Neelima/Nilima (‘blueness’); affectionate diminutives include Neelu and Nee. Masculine cognates are Neel and Nilesh. The name suggests depth, clarity, and good fortune, echoing gemstone symbolism and sky-colored iconography.

Neela has the following similar or variant Names

Neela – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2016 #1 921
Germany Girls 2014 #1 434
MV 0 #19 1 644
MV Girls 0 #35 1 2,021
ID 0 #39 1 2,238
IN 0 #70 2 2,963
JP 0 #77 1 4,057
OM 0 #121 1 6,215
CY Girls 0 #125 1 3,755
Switzerland Girls 2024 #133 3 1,786
Sweden Girls 2021 #182 2 1,666
AE 0 #187 1 10,220
DK 0 #206 1 5,198
PS 0 #226 1 5,692
BD 0 #238 4 5,992
Finland Girls 2026 #240 1,510 3,895
AF Boys 0 #274 1 3,535
Canada Girls 2024 #277 9 2,795
JM Girls 0 #278 1 7,507
SG 0 #279 4 11,010
BD Girls 0 #285 102 8,413
MU Girls 0 #294 58 8,539
France Girls 2021 #335 71 3,185
QA Girls 0 #335 9 15,378
GH Girls 0 #337 1 6,973
JO Girls 0 #339 1 7,570
MY 0 #352 3 12,352
SD Girls 0 #357 2 7,678
PL Girls 0 #364 1 5,096
Finland Girls 0 #376 16 1,368
OM Girls 0 #379 18 15,987
KW Girls 0 #472 44 19,177
ZA 0 #474 1 14,421
IN Girls 0 #509 123 13,121
AE Girls 0 #520 34 20,968
IQ Girls 0 #525 1 11,303
BH 0 #534 20 17,937
PS Girls 0 #546 2 10,981
SG Girls 0 #546 41 18,916
CM Girls 0 #560 1 11,671
CR Girls 0 #571 3 11,342
BD Boys 0 #603 3 10,045
SG Boys 0 #610 88 17,960
AR Girls 0 #630 1 8,289
IL Girls 0 #644 2 11,648
HK Girls 0 #648 3 16,104
BO Girls 0 #650 2 9,488
QA Boys 0 #693 15 18,093
KW Boys 0 #734 36 18,755
MY Girls 0 #821 174 24,821
NG Girls 0 #826 1 15,093
Germany Girls 0 #829 10 4,949
OM Boys 0 #844 38 17,948
United States Girls 2024 #863 54 8,487
SA Girls 0 #913 23 25,931
CL Girls 0 #915 1 14,098
EG Boys 0 #925 1 15,035
IN Boys 0 #945 57 16,750
PE Girls 0 #1,010 1 14,861
AE Boys 0 #1,049 44 22,615
ZA Girls 0 #1,065 77 25,928
MY Boys 0 #1,073 39 25,439
MA 0 #1,198 2 20,986
DZ 0 #1,234 1 20,130
ZA Boys 0 #1,271 2 25,619
IT Girls 0 #1,435 12 9,415
SA Boys 0 #1,551 64 28,008

Neela is popular in 45 countries — most recent births per country:

United States
Switzerland
Canada
France
Sweden

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People also ask about Neela

Neela is predominantly a girl's name.
Neela is a 2 syllable name, pronounced NEE-lah (IPA: /ˈniːlə/).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Nila, Neelah, Neelaa and Nīla.
Across languages, Neela has these equivalents: Neelam (Hindi, 'sapphire'), Sapphira (Hebrew/English, 'sapphire'), Azura/Azure (English, 'sky/blue'), Indigo (English, 'deep blue').
Yes, very popular — Neela ranked #1 in Ireland in 2016, and appears in official birth registries across 10 countries.
Neela ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2016).
Neela's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #879 in 2014 to #863 in 2024 in United States.