Neelam
- Gender
- Girl
- Say it
- NEE-lam
- Origin
- Sanskrit
Neelam is a girls' name of Sanskrit origin, meaning “sapphire”. Too few babies were given it in the latest year to rank.
What does Neelam mean?
Sanskrit: Hindi neelam, from Sanskrit nila 'blue'
“sapphire”
From Hindi and Sanskrit neelam, meaning sapphire, the blue gemstone; nila means blue.
Is Neelam a girl's or a boy's name?
Neelam is a girls' name.
How popular is Neelam in the UK?
No girls in the UK were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 1999, with 43 girls.
Half of all the girls named Neelam in the UK since 1996 were born between 1997 and 2004. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier girls aren't counted.
Neelam in the UK, year by year
| Year | Girls | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | #4,907 |
| 2023 | 0 | – |
| 2022 | 3 | #5,885 |
| 2021 | 0 | – |
| 2020 | 0 | – |
| 2019 | 0 | – |
| 2018 | 0 | – |
| 2017 | 4 | #4,967 |
| 2016 | 0 | – |
| 2015 | 0 | – |
| 2014 | 0 | – |
| 2013 | 5 | #4,267 |
| 2012 | 3 | #6,108 |
| 2011 | 5 | #4,244 |
| 2010 | 3 | #5,938 |
| 2009 | 4 | #4,795 |
| 2008 | 11 | #2,286 |
| 2007 | 8 | #2,790 |
| 2006 | 8 | #2,657 |
| 2005 | 5 | #3,543 |
| 2004 | 15 | #1,561 |
| 2003 | 17 | #1,369 |
| 2002 | 15 | #1,399 |
| 2001 | 18 | #1,204 |
| 2000 | 26 | #925 |
| 1999 | 43 | #650 |
| 1998 | 35 | #746 |
| 1997 | 40 | #697 |
| 1996 | 38 | #689 |
How popular is Neelam in the US?
No girls in the US were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 1990, with 27 girls. It first appears in the records in 1971.
Half of all the girls named Neelam in the US since 1880 were born between 1986 and 1998, the years shaded on the chart below.
Neelam in the US, year by year
| Year | Girls | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 6 | #13,456 |
| 2022 | 0 | – |
| 2021 | 5 | #15,246 |
| 2020 | 0 | – |
| 2019 | 0 | – |
| 2018 | 0 | – |
| 2017 | 10 | #9,939 |
| 2016 | 0 | – |
| 2015 | 5 | #16,413 |
| 2014 | 0 | – |
| 2013 | 6 | #14,577 |
| 2012 | 0 | – |
| 2011 | 5 | #16,756 |
| 2010 | 0 | – |
| 2009 | 0 | – |
| 2008 | 0 | – |
| 2007 | 0 | – |
| 2006 | 0 | – |
| 2005 | 5 | #16,455 |
| 2004 | 0 | – |
| 2003 | 0 | – |
| 2002 | 6 | #13,589 |
| 2001 | 10 | #9,344 |
| 2000 | 6 | #13,147 |
| 1999 | 10 | #8,798 |
| 1998 | 6 | #12,420 |
| 1997 | 10 | #8,329 |
| 1996 | 11 | #7,569 |
| 1995 | 13 | #6,636 |
| 1994 | 11 | #7,598 |
| 1993 | 15 | #5,949 |
| 1992 | 25 | #4,082 |
| 1991 | 13 | #6,582 |
| 1990 | 27 | #3,808 |
| 1989 | 18 | #4,842 |
| 1988 | 0 | – |
| 1987 | 12 | #5,918 |
| 1986 | 6 | #9,540 |
| 1985 | 5 | #10,672 |
| 1984 | 6 | #9,139 |
| 1983 | 7 | #8,045 |
| 1982 | 8 | #7,467 |
| 1981 | 5 | #10,409 |
| 1980 | 7 | #8,177 |
| 1979 | 6 | #9,008 |
| 1978 | 0 | – |
| 1977 | 0 | – |
| 1976 | 6 | #8,154 |
| 1975 | 5 | #9,065 |
| 1974 | 9 | #5,775 |
| 1973 | 6 | #7,433 |
| 1972 | 0 | – |
| 1971 | 5 | #8,322 |
Names like Neelam
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Summer Maham Farah Ilham Zainab Ahlam Safa Uma Faiza Saba Hiba Hibah
More Sanskrit names
Maya Bodhi Arya Lila Arjun Aarav Rohan Kali Aryan Opal Arjan Vihaan Aadhya Avyaan Ishaan Siya
Sources
Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Neelam: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/neelam, updated 20 October 2026.