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Neha as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Neha

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The baby name Neha is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced NEH-hah (Hindi/Sanskrit), NAY-huh (English); IPA: /neːˈɦaː/ (Hindi), /ˈneɪhə/ (English).

Neha is Hindi, Sanskrit in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Hindi, Sanskrit
Pronunciation: NEH-hah (Hindi/Sanskrit), NAY-huh (English); IPA: /neːˈɦaː/ (Hindi), /ˈneɪhə/ (English)

What is the meaning of the name Neha ?

The baby name Neha is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced NEH-hah (Hindi/Sanskrit), NAY-huh (English); IPA: /neːˈɦaː/ (Hindi), /ˈneɪhə/ (English).

Neha is Hindi, Sanskrit in Origin.

Neha (Devanagari नेहा) stems from Sanskrit नेह/स्नेह (neha/sneha) “affection, tenderness,” from the root snih- “to love, be fond of.” Through Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, and Urdu, it settled as a standalone feminine given name, often glossed as “love” and, by poetic extension in modern naming, “rain” or “downpour,” symbolizing renewal. Pronounced NEH-hah or NAY-hah, it carries gentle, nurturing connotations across South Asia.

Use of Neha surged across India from the 1970s onward, buoyed by cinema and popular music, and remains common in the Indian diaspora. Spelling variants include Nehaa and Nehha; related names are Sneha (close cognate) and Nehal (unisex, with distinct Indic and Persian etymologies). Regional scripts render it as नेहा (Hindi/Marathi), নেহা (Bengali), and نیہا (Urdu). The name’s blend of intimacy and refreshing imagery has kept it contemporary while rooted in classical Indic vocabulary.

Neha has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Neha

Neha Dhupia Actor · Born 1980 · India Neha Dhupia is an Indian actor best known for her role in the film 'Julie'. She gained popularity after winning the Femina Miss India pageant in 2002. Neha has also appeared in movies like 'Qayamat: City Under Threat' and 'Singh is Kinng'. Neha Sharma Actor · Born 1987 · India Neha Sharma is an Indian actress best known for her role in the Bollywood film 'Crook'. She also appeared in 'Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum' and 'Yamla Pagla Deewana 2', showcasing her versatility in both drama and comedy. Neha Pendse Actor · Born 1984 · India Neha Pendse is an Indian actress best known for her role in the popular TV show 'May I Come In Madam?'. She has also appeared in films like 'Natsamrat' and 'Tum Se Achcha Kaun Hai'. Born in 1984, Neha has made a significant mark in both television and film industries in India.

Neha – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2013 #1 969
IN Girls 0 #4 7,912 13,121
FJ 0 #5 2 374
FJ Girls 0 #6 4 583
IN 0 #15 71 2,963
BI Girls 0 #33 1 726
MV Girls 0 #34 2 2,021
AF Girls 0 #74 21 2,402
AF 0 #75 2 1,883
JP 0 #77 1 4,057
OM Girls 0 #81 403 15,987
CN 0 #85 2 3,857
MU Girls 0 #101 365 8,539
QA 0 #101 6 7,011
OM 0 #105 12 6,215
AE Girls 0 #106 670 20,968
GE Girls 0 #108 1 1,564
BN Girls 0 #113 2 5,459
BD Girls 0 #114 437 8,413
HU 0 #115 1 1,675
CY Girls 0 #117 9 3,755
QA Girls 0 #123 210 15,378
MU 0 #124 13 3,613
BD 0 #129 100 5,992
Switzerland Girls 2024 #134 2 1,786
AE 0 #147 31 10,220
SA Girls 0 #152 1,535 25,931
CR 0 #165 1 5,526
PR Girls 0 #167 1 3,171
Sweden Girls 2021 #182 2 1,666
CZ 0 #185 2 3,154
LU Girls 0 #189 2 4,850
DK 0 #206 1 5,198
HU Girls 0 #224 2 3,308
BG Girls 0 #231 1 3,559
IR 0 #231 1 4,221
JP Girls 0 #234 12 6,592
SG 0 #236 34 11,010
GR Girls 0 #245 5 6,293
KW Girls 0 #249 289 19,177
TW Boys 0 #256 1 7,111
NG 0 #272 1 5,926
AF Boys 0 #274 1 3,535
SA 0 #276 20 10,560
JM Girls 0 #278 1 7,507
Canada Girls 2024 #280 6 2,795
TW Girls 0 #287 3 8,139
DK Girls 0 #307 10 7,429
JO Girls 0 #316 10 7,570
CN Girls 0 #337 13 8,829
SD Girls 0 #350 9 7,678
CZ Girls 0 #351 1 5,378
HK 0 #353 5 8,483
Finland Girls 0 #364 28 1,368
PL Girls 0 #364 1 5,096
MU Boys 0 #365 5 8,477
PH Girls 0 #376 15 13,098
JO Boys 0 #389 1 7,057
YE 0 #394 5 8,639
France Girls 2021 #396 10 3,185
SG Girls 0 #396 194 18,916
BH 0 #414 140 17,937
PT Girls 0 #466 6 7,952
SD Boys 0 #466 1 10,523
ZA 0 #472 3 14,421
IQ Girls 0 #491 14 11,303
RU Girls 0 #518 6 11,913
CR Girls 0 #520 13 11,342
RU Boys 0 #526 1 12,621
BD Boys 0 #535 42 10,045
UY Girls 0 #536 1 6,731
PS Girls 0 #540 8 10,981
IR Girls 0 #542 4 8,334
LY 0 #557 3 12,703
CM Girls 0 #560 1 11,671
HK Girls 0 #574 42 16,104
IL Girls 0 #641 5 11,648
IN Boys 0 #651 372 16,750
QA Boys 0 #676 32 18,093
LB 0 #687 4 13,263
IQ Boys 0 #695 3 13,071
Finland Girls 2026 #723 16 3,895
KW Boys 0 #731 39 18,755
SG Boys 0 #737 3 17,960
SY 0 #767 1 11,684
NG Girls 0 #774 13 15,093
BR Boys 0 #785 1 12,213
Germany Girls 0 #812 27 4,949
OM Boys 0 #834 48 17,948
TN 0 #862 4 13,765
United States Girls 2024 #896 21 8,487
NL Girls 0 #912 44 5,933
CL Girls 0 #914 2 14,098
MY Girls 0 #916 79 24,821
EG Boys 0 #917 9 15,035
EG Girls 0 #926 34 14,742
Spain Girls 0 #960 24 5,561
CO Boys 0 #981 1 15,656
BR Girls 0 #992 1 12,708
NG Boys 0 #1,001 1 16,906
MA 0 #1,010 119 20,986
PE Girls 0 #1,010 1 14,861
AE Boys 0 #1,047 46 22,615
ZA Girls 0 #1,090 52 25,928
DZ 0 #1,152 25 20,130
MY Boys 0 #1,180 3 25,439
TR 0 #1,248 7 19,440
MX Girls 0 #1,266 2 17,781
ZA Boys 0 #1,272 1 25,619
SA Boys 0 #1,328 288 28,008
IT Girls 0 #1,330 117 9,415

Neha is popular in 69 countries — most recent births per country:

Canada
United States
Switzerland
France
Ireland

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Neha

Neha is predominantly a girl's name.
Neha is a 2 syllable name, pronounced NEH-hah (Hindi/Sanskrit), NAY-huh (English); IPA: /neːˈɦaː/ (Hindi), /ˈneɪhə/ (English).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Nehaa, Nehā, Nehha and Néha.
Across languages, Neha has these equivalents: Priya (Sanskrit, 'beloved'), Amy (French/English, 'beloved'), Esme (Old French, 'esteemed/loved'), Cara (Italian/Latin, 'dear, beloved'), Mila (Slavic, 'gracious, dear').
Yes, very popular — Neha ranked #1 in Ireland in 2013, and appears in official birth registries across 8 countries.
Neha ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2013).
Neha's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #299 in 2014 to #280 in 2024 in Canada.
Yes — 3 notable people named Neha are in our database, including Neha Dhupia (Actor), Neha Sharma (Actor), Neha Pendse (Actor).