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At a Glance
- Meaning
- Purpose (Swahili); also used as a short form of Antonia in English
- Origin
- Swahili (also English short form of Antonia)
- Gender
- Girl
- Pronunciation
- NEE-ah
Nia is a girl's name rooted in Swahili, where it means purpose, and it also doubles as a short form of Antonia in English. It's pronounced NEE-ah. That gives it two distinct paths to explore — a direct meaning and a nickname connection — in a short, clear-sounding name.
Meaning & Origin of Nia
Meaning: Purpose (Swahili); also used as a short form of Antonia in English.
Origin: Swahili (also English short form of Antonia).
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Nia
NEE-ahIPA /ˈniːə/
Popularity of Nia
Nia reached its highest point on the SSA list in 2000, ranking #307 with 1,033 girls given the name that year. By 2024 it had dropped to #672, with 428 babies.
Names Like Nia
These names share Nia’s style, era or origin.
FAQ
What does the name Nia mean?
Purpose (Swahili); also used as a short form of Antonia in English. (Source: Wiktionary)
How do you pronounce Nia?
Nia is pronounced NEE-ah (IPA: /ˈniːə/).
Is Nia a popular name right now?
Nia peaked at #307 in 2000 and is ranked #672 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1951–2024.)
Make Nia Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Nia, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
📊 How popular is Nia? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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