Declining since 2001, #5,554 for girls today.
Popularity of Neha since 1969
Babies named Neha per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 9 |
| 1970s | 225 |
| 1980s | 523 |
| 1990s | 941 |
| 2000s | 1,890 |
| 2010s | 628 |
| 2020s | 135 |
Meaning & origin
Neha is a feminine name with origins in the Sanskrit language, where it conveys meanings such as 'love', 'affection', and 'rain'. In the United States, the name first appeared on record in 1969 and experienced a notable peak in popularity in 2004. However, since 2001, its usage has been declining, and as of 2025, it ranks 5,554th, with approximately 1 in 73,058 girls receiving the name that year. The name is strongly associated with the Indian American community, with California being the top state for Neha births. While not as common as it once was, Neha remains a meaningful choice for families seeking a name with deep cultural roots.
Neha is a feminine Indian name derived from Sanskrit. It is often interpreted as meaning 'love' or 'affection', and also carries the beautiful meaning of 'rain' in some contexts. The name has been widely used across the Indian subcontinent, particularly among Hindu families, and gained popularity in the United States beginning in the late 20th century among the Indian diaspora.
Where Neha is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Neha” around the world
Where Neha lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Neeha
Sibling names for Neha
Names that share Neha's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Ananya, Priya, Riya, Sanya, Divya, Diya, Kanika, Khushi, Pooja, Shreya, Sona, Amisha, Ankita, Anusha, Archana, Chandni, Janvi, Kaavya, Komal, Maahi, Payal, Prachi, Puja, Saloni, Seema, Shree, Shruti, Sonal, Urvi, Vani, Anju, Arti, Deeksha, Kajal, Kritika, Muskaan, Palak, Poonam, Preeti, Puneet, Ritu, Rupal, Sheetal, Shweta, Sweta, Swetha, Mayukha, Aahna, Anshu, Kavitha, Khushbu, Maansi, Mitali, Nimisha, Preethi, Ritisha, Sahaana, Smrithi, Tarini
Brothers: Arjun, Rohan, Vikram, Amit, Ravi, Ajay, Akash, Akhil, Akshay, Anand, Ivaan, Krish, Kunal, Nikhil, Raj, Sachin, Shaan, Veer, Viaan, Viraj, Vivek, Abhishek, Adarsh, Ankit, Ankur, Ashish, Avinash, Chetan, Chirag, Darsh, Gautam, Harsh, Manish, Nitin, Pavan, Prem, Rajan, Rajeev, Rajiv, Rakesh, Rishan, Sagar, Sandeep, Shubh, Vikas, Vinay, Amol, Aniket, Anshul, Anup, Ashok, Bhavik, Kathan, Kishan, Kiyansh, Kushal, Makar, Manoj, Manvir, Mayur, Mehul, Parag, Prateek, Raman, Raunak, Sajan, Suhas, Sujay, Sumeet, Sumit, Tushar, Rajvir, Aashish, Ajeet, Akhilesh, Charan, Hiren, Jaidev, Jayant, Jayanth, Kapil, Mitesh, Namish, Nehan, Nihit, Parthiv, Parv, Praneeth, Rajat, Ritesh, Sanjit, Vikash, Vinod
