Total births
316
Girls' name · since 1971
Neelam
Since 1971, U.S. Social Security records show 316 babies named Neelam, peaking in 1990. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 316
- total births
- 1971–2023
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 45%
- born in that decade
Neelam sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 316 recorded since 1971.
Neelam has 316 recorded births among girls since 1971, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1990s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1971 to 2023.
- 316 total births
- 1971–2023 years on record
- 1990s peak decade
- 45% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
316 girls have been named Neelam since 1971, peaking in the 1990s, last recorded in 2023.
- 316
- total births
- 1971–2023
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 45%
- born in that decade
1990s
Peak decade
45% of everyone ever named Neelam was born in this single decade.
1990
Single peak year
27 babies were named Neelam in 1990 - its busiest year on record.
Neelam's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Neelam's full recorded timeline at 1992, 52% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 48% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1971, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1990 peak of 27 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Neelam at a glance
Last recorded 2023Peak year
1990
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1971
Neelam popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1971–2023
- Peak year (1990)
- 27
- Annual births at peak, across 53 years of records
Neelam by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Neelam's strongest decade.
141 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 45% of all-time use.
Neelam births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 37
1970s
37 births
- 1980s
1980s
74 births
- 1990s
1990s
141 births
- 2000s 27
2000s
27 births
- 2010s 26
2010s
26 births
- 2020s 11
2020s
11 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 141 births (45% of all-time use).
Neelam by state
Where Neelam concentrates geographically, total births since 1971
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 37 | 11.7% |
| #2 | Texas | | 7 | 2.2% |
California share of Neelam's total US births 11.7%
Even split
37 of 316 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Neelam? ▼
Neelam has been given to 316 babies in the U.S. since 1971, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2023. 27 babies were born in 1990, its single highest year.
When was Neelam most popular? ▼
Neelam was most popular in the 1990s decade with 141 total births. The single peak year was 1990.
Where is Neelam most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Neelam are California (37 births), Texas (7 births).
How long has the name Neelam been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Neelam since 1971 -- 53 years through the most recent 2023 data.
What names are similar to Neelam? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Neely, Neena, Neela, Neema, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Neelam's data
- Neelam's decade-level peak was the 1990s (141 total births); usage has since declined to 11 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Neelams (37 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Neelam
Nearby Names Like Neelam
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Neelam
Neely Girl
#5158 2,239 births
Neena Girl
#8037 1,775 births
Neela Girl
#3027 1,374 births
Neema Girl
#4322 784 births
Neeley Girl
#13784 412 births
Compare Neelam side by side: Neelam vs Neely Neelam vs Neena Neelam vs Neela
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1971–2023 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Neelam: Baby Name Since 1971 - 316 Births, Peak 1990." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/neelam. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Neelam draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.