Nilay

Azerbaijani, Turkish, "moon over the River Nile"

An atmospheric name with a gentle sound and brilliant imagery, Nilay is a popular choice in Azerbaijan, where it ranked at #4 in a recent year. And it’s easy to see why!

Blending Nil, the name of the River Nile in a number of languages, with the popular -ay element, the name could be interpreted as meaning “moon over the River Nile” — or more literally as “river moon” — both of which are beautiful and have nature, water, and celestial connections.

Pronounced as NEE-lie, it ranks alongside similar choices such as Miray, Sunay, Milay, Aylin, and Nuray!

Name-nerd-trivia: I first discovered Nilay a few years ago, back when I’d just started writing for Nameberry. I was getting used to doing research and database entries, so it stands out as a slightly nostalgic name that also shares that same “eye” ending of my longtime favorite Sarai!