Girl name · Zapotec
Nayeli
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: possibly from Zapotec words meaning I love you or openNayeli is a girl's name that comes from Zapotec and means "possibly from Zapotec words meaning I love you or open". It is used in English and Spanish.
- Meaning
- Possibly from Zapotec words meaning I love you or open
- Origin
- Zapotec
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #271 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Nayeli
As a girl's name, Nayeli comes from Zapotec and means "possibly from Zapotec words meaning I love you or open". It is used in English and Spanish.
Its meaning puts Nayeli on our names that mean love list.
Meaning checked against Behind the Name. How we research names
How popular is Nayeli?
- US rank in 2025
- #271
- 1,151 babies, 716 per million girls
- Best rank
- #175 in 2001
- 1,845 babies that year
- Babies since 1977
- At least 24,651
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 0 per million |
| 1920s | 0 per million |
| 1930s | 0 per million |
| 1940s | 0 per million |
| 1950s | 0 per million |
| 1960s | 0 per million |
| 1970s | 1 per million |
| 1980s | 12 per million |
| 1990s | 112 per million |
| 2000s | 503 per million |
| 2010s | 432 per million |
| 2020s | 570 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #474 | #498 | #410 | #434 | #424 | #383 | #337 | #333 | #318 | #271 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Nayeli
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- NalediStar (Sotho, girl)
- NayeonGraceful and beautiful (depends on hanja) (Korean, girl)
Names with a similar meaning
- OscarPossibly deer friend (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- EstherPossibly star (Persian, girl)
- MiriamForm of Mary, meaning uncertain; perhaps Egyptian beloved (Hebrew, girl)
- AaronProbably Egyptian, meaning unknown; Hebrew theories say exalted (Hebrew, boy)
- AlanMeaning uncertain; perhaps little rock, or from the Alans (Brythonic, boy)
- AmandaWorthy of love (Latin, girl)
- AmeliaPossibly vigorous, brave (Germanic, girl)
- AiLove; indigo (depends on characters) (Japanese, girl)
- AilaniPossibly from Hawaiian ʻAilani, to rule as chief, or Aylín (Hawaiian, girl)
- AilanyVariant of Ailani, possibly Hawaiian, to rule as chief (Hawaiian, girl)
- AmadeusLove of God (Latin, boy)
- AmorLove (Latin, unisex)
- AresPerhaps from Greek words for bane, ruin, or male (Greek, boy)
- ArlethVariant of Arlette, from Herleva, possibly army and legacy (Germanic, girl)
- AthenaMeaning unknown; the Greek goddess of wisdom (Greek, girl)
Middle names for Nayeli
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
Nayeli: common questions
What does the name Nayeli mean?
Nayeli comes from Zapotec and means "possibly from Zapotec words meaning I love you or open". Checked against Behind the Name.
Is Nayeli a boy or girl name?
Nayeli is mainly a girl's name.
Where does the name Nayeli come from?
Nayeli comes from Zapotec and means "possibly from Zapotec words meaning I love you or open". Today it is used in English and Spanish.
How popular is the name Nayeli?
Nayeli ranked #271 in the US in 2025, with 1,151 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Nayeli?
Names spelled like Nayeli include Naledi and Nayeon.
What middle names go with Nayeli?
Middle names that flow well with Nayeli include Aoife, Belle, Dawn, Fern and Holly. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.