Nola

The Irish mythological King Lír had a second wife who ordered a sorcerer to kill his children. Due to their beauty and innocence, however, they became swans instead and had to swim for 900 years. One of these poor Children of Lír had the name of Nola. 

Along with appearing in Irish mythology, Nola is an anglicization of the Irish Nuala. Nuala itself is a diminutive of Fionnuala, meaning "fair shoulder." Nola was also common in Medieval Ireland. However, some have also claimed Nola has roots as a diminutive of Magnolia even though the flower name emerged much later in the Victorian era. 

Nola has been used among English-speakers since at least the nineteenth century. In the United States, Nola ranked in the top 1000 every year from 1880 to 1964. American actress Nola Fairbanks (1924-2021) was born in the middle of its run. Nola has also been used in England from the 1870s, peaking at 187 births during the 1940s. While the name was neutral in American and English popularity, it was a top 100 name in both Australia and New Zealand in the early twentieth century.

Nola is rising again in both America and England. The name has also seen recent usage in France and the Netherlands. Despite its Irish roots, though, it is shocking to realize that Nola does not rank in Ireland or Northern Ireland at the moment.

Nola is, overall, a short and sweet name with a mix of vintage and Celtic style. It can serve as an alternative to popular names like Isla and Nora. 

STYLES:

Celtic, Compact, Liquid, Vintage

SISTERS:

Carys, Effie, Faye, Iva, Maisie, Reba, Tamsin, Zora

BROTHERS:

Arlo, Callum, Ellis, Hamish, Lyle, Ned, Rhys, Wiley

ALTERNATIVES:

Iona, Moira, Nell, Neva, Nia, Oona, Orla, Rhona

FUTHER RESOURCES:

"Nola." Names, Behind the Name, 21 Jan. 2022, https://www.behindthename.com/name/nola. Accessed 26 Feb. 2023. 

Nickerson, Eleanor. "Nola." Names of the Week, British Baby Names, 17 Jun. 2017, https://www.britishbabynames.com/blog/2017/06/name-of-the-week-nola.html. Accessed 26 Feb. 2023. 

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