Girl name
Nihal name meaning
“young tree; sapling”
Nihal means “young tree” or “sapling.” It comes from Persian nihāl or nahāl and was used in Ottoman Turkish as both a word and a personal name. Used for girls in Türkiye, it also recalls Nihal, a character in Halit Ziya Uşaklıgil's novel Aşk-ı Memnu.
- Gender
- ♀ Girl
- Origin
- Persian
- Syllables
- 2
- Popularity
- In TÜİK lists
What does Nihal mean?
Young tree; sapling
In Turkish: genç ağaç; taze fidan
Nihal evokes the freshness and growth of a young tree. It is directly comparable in meaning to Fidan. The character Nihal in Halit Ziya Uşaklıgil’s novel Aşk-ı Memnu provides a prominent Turkish literary association, while sapling imagery also has a long history in Persian poetry.
How popular is Nihal?
Official figures: TÜİK newborn name lists (2018–2025, the top 30 for Türkiye and each of the 81 provinces every year) and the most common names in the population.
- Province lists
- 8provinces
Where is Nihal in the top 30?
8 provinces · the latest year each province listed it
Source: TurkStat (TÜİK), Address-Based Population Registration System. The lists cover the top 30 names per year, sex and province; no official counts are published for less common names. All statistics →
Origin of the name Nihal
Nihal comes from Persian nihāl or nahāl, meaning a sapling or young tree. Ottoman Turkish used it both as a word and as a personal name.
Double names with Nihal
Double-name ideas built from names in our dictionary, with the meaning of each name.
-
Nihal Gülvera
Meaning of each name
- Nihal: young tree; sapling
- Gülvera: Rose; faith
-
Sedef Nihal
Meaning of each name
- Sedef: the lustrous, iridescent lining of seashells
- Nihal: young tree; sapling
-
Nihal Sudenaz
Meaning of each name
- Nihal: young tree; sapling
- Sudenaz: a combination of Sude and Naz
-
Mihrimah Nihal
Meaning of each name
- Mihrimah: the sun and the moon
- Nihal: young tree; sapling
-
Nihal Müzeyyen
Meaning of each name
- Nihal: young tree; sapling
- Müzeyyen: decorated, embellished with adornments
-
Meral Nihal
Meaning of each name
- Meral: a doe; maral deer
- Nihal: young tree; sapling
How to pronounce Nihal
| Syllables | 2 · 5 letters · 5-letter girl names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /nihal/ |
| Ottoman Turkish | نهال |
Is Nihal a girl’s name?
Yes, Nihal is used mostly as a girl’s name. In TÜİK data, 1% of bearers are male. See all girl names.
Nihal appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
Spellings and similar names
Names that sound like Nihal
Names with related meanings
- Zeynep♀A fragrant flowering tree
- Defne♀Bay laurel, an aromatic evergreen tree
- Lina♀A kind of date palm
- Efnan♀Branches, boughs
- Tuğba♀Blessedness, happiness
- Hazal♀A dried, fallen tree leaf
- Tuba♀Blessedness, happiness
- Zeyneb♀A fragrant flowering tree
- Ilgın♀Tamarisk, a flowering shrub with fine foliage
- Hazel♀Hazel tree
- Yaprak♀A plant's usually green, flat leaf
- Sidra♀A lote tree
Famous people named Nihal
- Nihal Atsız · b. 1905
- Nihal Yalçın · b. 1981
- Nihal Bengisu Karaca · b. 1972
- Nihal Koldaş · b. 1956
- Nihal Yeğinobalı · b. 1927
- Nihal Menzil · b. 1962
- Nihal Martli · b. 1982
- Nihal Yeşil · b. 1990
- Nihal Güreş · b. 1962
- Nihal Aksoy · b. 1967
- Nihal Altunışık
- Nihal Apaydın
FAQ about the name Nihal
What is the meaning of Nihal?
Nihal means “young tree; sapling”. Nihal comes from Persian nihāl or nahāl, meaning a sapling or young tree. Ottoman Turkish used it both as a word and as a personal name.
Is Nihal a girl’s name?
Yes, Nihal is used mostly as a girl’s name. In TÜİK data, 1% of bearers are male.
Is Nihal in the Quran?
No. Neither the name Nihal nor its source word occurs in the Quran.
What is the origin of the name Nihal?
Nihal is of Persian origin.
How many syllables does Nihal have?
Nihal has 2 syllables and 5 letters.
How popular is the name Nihal?
Nihal appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
What names go well with Nihal?
Some ideas: Nihal Gülvera; Sedef Nihal; Nihal Sudenaz.
Famous people named Nihal?
Notable people named Nihal include Nihal Atsız, Nihal Yalçın, Nihal Bengisu Karaca.
Sources and method
Meanings and origins draw on language sources and name dictionaries; popularity figures come from TÜİK’s address-based population register, and notable people from Wikidata.
Entry ID: nm00711 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake