Nola Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: NO-lah //ˈnoʊ.lə//
Origin: Irish; Latin
Meaning: Irish: 'famous'; Latin: 'noble'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Nola has its roots in the Latin word "nola," which means "a bell" or "a small bell." This etymology is linked to the ancient city of Nola in Campania, Italy, which was known for its bell-making industry. The name entered the English language through various linguistic transformations, beginning with Latin, and later influenced by Italian and other Romance languages.
The transition into English likely occurred during the Renaissance, a period marked by a renewed interest in classical antiquity and the arts, which facilitated the adoption of many names from Latin and Italian into English vernacular. Historically, Nola is associated with Saint Paulinus of Nola, a prominent figure in early Christianity who lived in the 4th and 5th centuries.
He was known for his poetry and theological writings, and his influence helped to elevate the significance of the name in Christian contexts. The city of Nola itself has been referenced in various historical texts, and its cultural contributions, particularly in the realm of music and literature, have been acknowledged throughout the centuries.
The name Nola may also have been popularized in the English-speaking world through literary works and the arts, reflecting the city's historical importance. Culturally, Nola carries connotations of harmony and celebration, resonating with its connection to bells, which are often associated with joy and community gatherings.
The name has been embraced in various artistic expressions, including music and literature, where it symbolizes a connection to heritage and tradition. While diminutive forms or variations of the name may exist, Nola itself stands out for its historical and cultural significance, representing a blend of linguistic heritage and religious influence that has endured through the ages.
Famous people named Nola
In this section, you will find notable people named Nola. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Nola who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Nola who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Nola Ochs is a writer and educator best known for being the oldest person to graduate from college in the United States.
Nola Pender is a nursing theorist best known for developing the Health Promotion Model.
Fictional characters named Nola
The following list of fictional characters named Nola is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Nola is a fictional character from the film Nola. She is a young woman navigating the complexities of love and relationships in New Orleans.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Nola, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Nola. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Nola was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Nola has ranked as high as #845 nationally, which occurred in 2020, and has been most popular in California, Kentucky, Illinois, Ohio, and North Carolina.
In the past 5 years the name Nola has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Nola is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Nola was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Nola (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 29 | |
| LA | 21 | |
| GA | 21 | |
| NC | 20 | |
| NY | 19 | |
| TN | 18 | |
| NJ | 17 | |
| VA | 16 | |
| OH | 15 | |
| PA | 15 | |
| CA | 14 | |
| FL | 14 | |
| AL | 10 | |
| WI | 10 | |
| IL | 9 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Nola.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 367 |
| 2023 | 380 |
| 2022 | 472 |
| 2021 | 503 |
| 2020 | 537 |
| 2019 | 500 |
| 2018 | 461 |
| 2017 | 379 |
| 2016 | 350 |
| 2015 | 368 |
| 2014 | 347 |
| 2013 | 350 |
| 2012 | 334 |
| 2011 | 292 |
| 2010 | 314 |
| 2009 | 280 |
| 2008 | 299 |
| 2007 | 257 |
| 2006 | 202 |
| 2005 | 104 |
| 2004 | 86 |
| 2003 | 80 |
| 2002 | 59 |
| 2001 | 44 |
| 2000 | 50 |
| 1999 | 37 |
| 1998 | 31 |
| 1997 | 36 |
| 1996 | 34 |
| 1995 | 29 |
| 1994 | 32 |
| 1993 | 32 |
| 1992 | 25 |
| 1991 | 25 |
| 1990 | 24 |
| 1989 | 37 |
| 1988 | 24 |
| 1987 | 38 |
| 1986 | 30 |
| 1985 | 34 |
| 1984 | 42 |
| 1983 | 61 |
| 1982 | 65 |
| 1981 | 53 |
| 1980 | 38 |
| 1979 | 58 |
| 1978 | 62 |
| 1977 | 65 |
| 1976 | 47 |
| 1975 | 40 |
| 1974 | 39 |
| 1973 | 33 |
| 1972 | 37 |
| 1971 | 69 |
| 1970 | 66 |
| 1969 | 80 |
| 1968 | 68 |
| 1967 | 65 |
| 1966 | 99 |
| 1965 | 92 |
| 1964 | 137 |
| 1963 | 118 |
| 1962 | 148 |
| 1961 | 155 |
| 1960 | 168 |
| 1959 | 252 |
| 1958 | 144 |
| 1957 | 159 |
| 1956 | 206 |
| 1955 | 195 |
| 1954 | 236 |
| 1953 | 255 |
| 1952 | 240 |
| 1951 | 249 |
| 1950 | 247 |
| 1949 | 223 |
| 1948 | 210 |
| 1947 | 252 |
| 1946 | 222 |
| 1945 | 231 |
| 1944 | 245 |
| 1943 | 291 |
| 1942 | 263 |
| 1941 | 279 |
| 1940 | 259 |
| 1939 | 273 |
| 1938 | 337 |
| 1937 | 294 |
| 1936 | 300 |
| 1935 | 286 |
| 1934 | 307 |
| 1933 | 281 |
| 1932 | 301 |
| 1931 | 300 |
| 1930 | 322 |
| 1929 | 328 |
| 1928 | 330 |
| 1927 | 361 |
| 1926 | 268 |
| 1925 | 279 |
| 1924 | 320 |
| 1923 | 312 |
| 1922 | 335 |
| 1921 | 324 |
| 1920 | 306 |
| 1919 | 343 |
| 1918 | 390 |
| 1917 | 307 |
| 1916 | 301 |
| 1915 | 320 |
| 1914 | 227 |
| 1913 | 205 |
| 1912 | 211 |
| 1911 | 168 |
| 1910 | 158 |
| 1909 | 172 |
| 1908 | 144 |
| 1907 | 142 |
| 1906 | 125 |
| 1905 | 127 |
| 1904 | 140 |
| 1903 | 131 |
| 1902 | 131 |
| 1901 | 93 |
| 1900 | 129 |
| 1899 | 106 |
| 1898 | 122 |
| 1897 | 74 |
| 1896 | 108 |
| 1895 | 111 |
| 1894 | 118 |
| 1893 | 90 |
| 1892 | 62 |
| 1891 | 78 |
| 1890 | 60 |
| 1889 | 69 |
| 1888 | 54 |
| 1887 | 55 |
| 1886 | 51 |
| 1885 | 39 |
| 1884 | 34 |
| 1883 | 30 |
| 1882 | 37 |
| 1881 | 32 |
| 1880 | 23 |