Total births
1,219
Unisex name · since 1977
Nijah
1,219 babies named Nijah in U.S. Social Security records since 1977, with the highest year being 1998. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #9743
- among girls today
- 1,219
- born since 1977
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 45%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Nijah is the #9743 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 1,219 recorded since 1977.
Nijah has 1,219 recorded births among girls since 1977, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #9743 as of the latest data, more common than 45% of girls, busiest in the 2000s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1977 to 2024.
- #9743 among girls today
- 1,219 born since 1977
- 2000s peak decade
- 45% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Nijah is currently the #9743 unisex name in America, more common than 45% of girls - 1,219 born since 1977, peaking in the 2000s.
- #9743
- among girls today
- 1,219
- born since 1977
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 45%
- more common than other girls
Nijah vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#9743
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 45% of names given to girls today.
2000s
Peak decade
44% of everyone ever named Nijah was born in this single decade.
1998
Single peak year
75 babies were named Nijah in 1998 - its busiest year on record.
How Nijah compares
1,219 Top 28% higher than 72% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Nijah's all-time total is 3x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Nijah | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,219 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 75 | 48 | 19,840 |
Nijah's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Nijah's full recorded timeline at 2002, 48% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 52% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1978, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1998 peak of 75 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Nijah at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1998
Current rank
#9,743
Active since
1977
Nijah popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1977–2024
- Peak year (1998)
- 75
- Annual births at peak, across 48 years of records
Nijah popularity over time - boys
184 total births recorded since 1995 (Nijah as boys' name)
Nijah by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Nijah's strongest decade.
531 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 44% of all-time use.
Nijah births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 14
1970s
14 births
- 1980s 89
1980s
89 births
- 1990s
1990s
395 births
- 2000s
2000s
531 births
- 2010s 149
2010s
149 births
- 2020s 41
2020s
41 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 531 births (44% of all-time use).
How Nijah compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Nijah's total volume
Nijah vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Nijah by state
Where Nijah concentrates geographically, total births since 1977
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pennsylvania | | 38 | 3.1% |
| #2 | Illinois | | 34 | 2.8% |
| #3 | New York | | 33 | 2.7% |
| #4 | Georgia | | 26 | 2.1% |
| #5 | Florida | | 21 | 1.7% |
| #6 | North Carolina | | 17 | 1.4% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 17 | 1.4% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 15 | 1.2% |
Pennsylvania share of Nijah's total US births 3.1%
Even split
38 of 1,219 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 15 reporting states.
Nijah appears in 15 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nijah? ▼
1,219 babies have been named Nijah since 1977. It currently ranks #9743 among girls. The peak year was 1998 with 75 births.
When was Nijah most popular? ▼
Nijah was most popular in the 2000s decade with 531 total births. The single peak year was 1998.
Where is Nijah most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Nijah are Pennsylvania (38 births), Illinois (34 births), New York (33 births).
Is Nijah a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Nijah is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 1,219 births, and as a boy's name it has 184 births.
How long has the name Nijah been used? ▼
Records for Nijah go back to 1977, giving 48 years of history through 2024.
What names are similar to Nijah? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Nija, Nijae, Nijha, Nijia, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Nijah's data
- Nijah's decade-level peak was the 2000s (531 total births); usage has since declined to 41 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Pennsylvania records the most Nijahs (38 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Pennsylvania 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 Nijah
Nearby Names Like Nijah
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nijah
Nija Girl
815 births
Nijae Girl
184 births
Nijha Girl
43 births
Nijia Girl
39 births
Nijay Girl
35 births
Compare Nijah side by side: Nijah vs Nija Nijah vs Nijae Nijah vs Nijha
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Nijah
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, 1977–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nijah: #9743 Unisex Name - 1,219 Births, Peak 1998." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nijah. 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 Nijah 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.