Nala is a name of uncertain origin, usually explained as Swahili for "gift" or "successful", though some trace it to the Sanskrit king Nala of the Mahabharata. Nearly every American knows it as the lioness and Simba's companion in Disney's The Lion King, which brought the name to the United States in 1994. Nala entered the US top 1000 in 2014, peaked at number 679 in 2019 and ranks number 856 among girls in 2025.