Nuala
Say it: NOO-la/ˈnuːlə/
GirlIrishMythologyMeans fair shoulder, through Fionnuala5 letters2 syllables
Unranked
in 2025
0
babies in 2025
#71
best rank (1965)
1,352
babies since 1964
Nuala through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3 | #869 |
| 2023 | 3 | #832 |
| 2022 | 5 | #627 |
| 2021 | 4 | #740 |
| 2012 | 3 | #908 |
| 2011 | 3 | #932 |
| 2010 | 4 | #758 |
| 2008 | 4 | #751 |
| 1999 | 5 | #393 |
| 1998 | 4 | #426 |
| 1997 | 4 | #496 |
| 1996 | 7 | #356 |
| 1995 | 9 | #310 |
| 1994 | 6 | #374 |
| 1993 | 10 | #300 |
| 1992 | 3 | #522 |
| 1991 | 10 | #300 |
| 1990 | 8 | #336 |
| 1989 | 14 | #250 |
| 1988 | 15 | #252 |
| 1987 | 11 | #296 |
| 1986 | 18 | #220 |
| 1985 | 19 | #227 |
| 1984 | 16 | #242 |
| 1983 | 28 | #187 |
| 1982 | 30 | #185 |
| 1981 | 36 | #180 |
| 1980 | 44 | #159 |
| 1979 | 47 | #153 |
| 1978 | 46 | #147 |
| 1977 | 41 | #164 |
| 1976 | 36 | #167 |
| 1975 | 50 | #145 |
| 1974 | 59 | #129 |
| 1973 | 77 | #112 |
| 1972 | 67 | #118 |
| 1971 | 86 | #100 |
| 1970 | 71 | #110 |
| 1969 | 63 | #111 |
| 1968 | 90 | #78 |
| 1967 | 66 | #100 |
| 1966 | 68 | #93 |
| 1965 | 91 | #71 |
| 1964 | 68 | #90 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Nuala mean?
Fair shoulder, through Fionnuala
Irish, a short form of Fionnuala, from Old Irish find (fair) and guala (shoulder).
Say it right
NOOla
In Irish it has three light syllables, close to NOO-uh-la.
The story of Nuala
Nuala began as a short form of Fionnuala, the Old Irish Finnguala, from find, fair or white, and guala, shoulder. Some sources also treat it as another form of Úna. It has long been used as a name in its own right.
Through Fionnuala it is linked with the Children of Lir, whose only daughter was turned into a swan with her three brothers. In folklore a Nuala also appears as the wife of Finvarra, king of the fairies, a part some stories give to Úna. A well-known modern bearer was the journalist and memoir writer Nuala O’Faolain.
Nuala was at its most popular in the 1960s. Its best year was 1965, when 91 girls were given the name and it reached number 71. It has become rare since, and in 2025 too few babies were named Nuala for it to appear in the CSO list.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Nuala (Irish proper noun)
- Wiktionary: Nuala (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Nuala
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Nuala | under 3 | 1,352 |
In Northern Ireland
Not in the 2025 list. Best rank #161 (1997); 65 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.