| Jamila | Nia | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Beautiful | Purpose |
| Origin | swahili | swahili |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | jah-MEE-lah | NEE-ah |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 0 | 0 |
| Peak year | 1977 (418) | 2000 (1,033) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Trend | Vintage | Vintage |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Jamila | Nia |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 755 | 2,932 |
| 2010s | 1,074 | 6,546 |
| 2000s | 930 | 8,571 |
| 1990s | 1,834 | 5,283 |
| 1980s | 1,887 | 1,198 |
| 1970s | 1,781 | 788 |
| 1960s | 61 | 85 |
| 1950s | 0 | 19 |
'Beautiful,' from Arabic jamil(a); widely used in Swahili-speaking Muslim communities. Feminine; the masculine form is Jamil.
Swahili, 'purpose, intention,' from Arabic niyya. Also one of the seven Kwanzaa principles. Chiefly feminine.
Jamila and Nia are given to a similar number of US babies today.
Jamila means Beautiful (swahili origin), while Nia means Purpose (swahili origin).
In US records, Jamila first appears in 0 and Nia in 0, so Jamila has the longer recorded history.