Nyla

How to say it

/ˈnaɪ.lə/

What it means

Arabic Naila ('winner, achiever, one who succeeds'), via the Y-respelling. Also reads as a feminine respelling of Nile (the Egyptian river). Surged in the US in the 2010s with broader African American and Middle Eastern naming trends.

Nyla has two roots that converged in modern US use. The Arabic Naila (from the root nayl, 'to obtain, to achieve') means 'winner, achiever, one who succeeds.' Alternatively Nyla reads as a feminine respelling of the river Nile (from the Greek Neilos, Egyptian iteru). The Y respelling places it in the 2010s American -yla cluster (Kyla, Lyla, Myla, Skyla). As a US given name Nyla entered the top 500 in 2010 with strong African American and broader Middle Eastern community uptake. Common short: Ny.

Heads-up notes

• Pronunciation

  NY-lah (rhymes with 'tile'), two syllables, stress on the first.

Spelling variants

• Naila
• Nyla
• Nilah

Names with the same feeling

• Lyla Night
• Myla Beloved, or modern coinage
• Ayla Halo of light, or 'oak tree'
• Kaia Pure, or 'sea'

See Nyla from another angle