Nyara
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from Sanskrit roots.
Name Census estimates that about 217 living Americans carry the first name Nyara. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nyara today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nyara births was 2024 (23 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nyara. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Nyara with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
217
~ 1 in 1,579,513 Americans
Peak year
2024
23 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,544
Tracked since 1996
Popularity
Nyara: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nyara from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 91 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Nyara remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nyara 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 Nyara 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 Nyara
The name Nyara is believed to have originated in West Africa, specifically among the Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast. Its roots can be traced back to the Akan language, where it is derived from the word "nyara," which means "gift" or "blessing."
The earliest recorded use of the name Nyara dates back to the 13th century, when it was mentioned in ancient Akan folklore and oral traditions. These stories often depicted Nyara as a symbol of prosperity, fertility, and good fortune, highlighting the positive connotations associated with the name.
In the 15th century, the name gained further popularity among the Akan people, and it began to appear in written records and historical documents. One notable example is the mention of a Nyara, a respected elder and spiritual leader, in the chronicles of the Ashanti Empire, which flourished in present-day Ghana during that time.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Nyara. One of the earliest recorded was Nyara Ababio (c. 1450-1510), a renowned Akan healer and herbalist who was widely respected for her expertise in traditional medicine. Another notable figure was Nyara Kojo (1720-1795), a skilled craftsman and metalworker who created intricate gold jewelry for the Ashanti royalty.
In the 19th century, the name Nyara gained recognition beyond West Africa. Nyara Keita (1820-1892), a Malian scholar and philosopher, made significant contributions to the study of Islamic teachings and their integration with African cultural values. Her writings and teachings had a lasting impact on intellectual discourse in the region.
Moving into the 20th century, Nyara Kone (1920-2005), a Burkinabé artist, gained international acclaim for her vibrant and expressive paintings that depicted traditional Akan culture and folklore. Her works have been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums around the world, cementing her legacy as a prominent figure in the African art community.
Nyara has remained a popular name among the Akan people and other West African communities, carrying with it a rich cultural heritage and symbolism. While its usage may have evolved over time, the name continues to evoke a sense of blessings, prosperity, and cultural pride.
People
Nyara + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nyara 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
Nyara: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nyara?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 217 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nyara 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 1,579,513 US residents.
Is Nyara a common name?
We classify Nyara as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 219 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nyara most popular?
The single biggest year for Nyara was 2024, when 23 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nyara is about 14 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 Nyara in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nyara a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nyara 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 Nyara still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nyara 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 Nyara 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 the name Nyara?
If you just want to know how many Americans are named Nyara, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.