Nayalee
The feminine name of American Indian origin meaning "the bearer of light".
Name Census estimates that about 47 living Americans carry the first name Nayalee. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nayalee today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nayalee births was 2007 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nayalee. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Nayalee. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
47
~ 1 in 7,292,645 Americans
Peak year
2007
7 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2021 SSA rank
#14,744
Tracked since 2007
Popularity
Nayalee: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nayalee from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 23 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Nayalee remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nayalee by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Nayalee during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Nayalee
The name Nayalee is believed to have its origins in the Native American Navajo language. It is a relatively modern name, with no known historical references or appearances in ancient texts or religious scriptures. The name is thought to be derived from the Navajo words "náyá", meaning "to wander", and "lee", meaning "graceful" or "beautiful".
The earliest recorded use of the name Nayalee dates back to the late 20th century, likely inspired by the growing interest in Native American culture and names during that time period. While the name is not widely popular, it has been used by a handful of individuals throughout history.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Nayalee was a Native American activist and writer born in 1968. She was involved in various indigenous rights movements and published several works highlighting the struggles and experiences of her community.
In the world of entertainment, Nayalee is the name of a Venezuelan actress and model born in 1985. She has appeared in several telenovelas and films throughout her career, gaining recognition in Latin American media.
Another notable figure with the name Nayalee is a Canadian artist and sculptor born in 1972. Her works, which often incorporate elements of nature and indigenous symbolism, have been exhibited in galleries across North America.
In the field of education, Nayalee is the name of a prominent professor of Native American studies born in 1960. She has authored several scholarly works and has been recognized for her contributions to the preservation and promotion of indigenous cultures.
Lastly, Nayalee is also the name of a professional dancer and choreographer born in 1978. She has performed with various dance companies and has been praised for her unique fusion of contemporary and traditional Native American dance styles.
People
Nayalee + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nayalee as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Nayalee: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nayalee?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 47 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nayalee going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 7,292,645 US residents.
Is Nayalee a common name?
We classify Nayalee as "Very Rare". It ranks above 53.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 47 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nayalee most popular?
The single biggest year for Nayalee was 2007, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nayalee is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Nayalee in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nayalee a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nayalee in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Nayalee still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nayalee in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Nayalee can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Nayalee as a first name?
If you just want to know how many Americans are named Nayalee, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.