The first name Nuala
A girl’s name from Irish.
Pronounced /ˈnuːlə/ 3 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Irish origin
From Irish: either a shortened form of Fionnuala, alternative form of Fionnghuala, or an alternative form of Úna.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 27 girls were named Nuala, making it the 1,197th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2015, with 43 births (#860).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Nuala with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Nuala at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 7 girls born in the United States were named Nuala, the 12,837th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2009, when 26 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Nuala
1 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Vanessa KirbyBritish actress (born 1987)
More Irish girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Nuala mean?
- From Irish: either a shortened form of Fionnuala, alternative form of Fionnghuala, or an alternative form of Úna.
- What is the origin of the name Nuala?
- From Irish: either a shortened form of Fionnuala, alternative form of Fionnghuala, or an alternative form of Úna.
- How popular is the name Nuala?
- In 2025, 27 girls born in England and Wales were named Nuala, ranking 1,197th. Its peak was 2015, with 43 births.
- Is Nuala a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 363 US babies named Nuala since 1880 were girls.
- When was Nuala most popular?
- 2009 in the United States, when 26 babies were named Nuala, its highest rank at 5,501st.
- How do you pronounce Nuala?
- Nuala is /ˈnuːlə/, 3 syllables.