Meaning and history
Nigella is a feminine botanical name from the Latin genus Nigella, which includes black cumin and love-in-a-mist. The genus name is a diminutive of Latin niger, “black,” referring to the dark seeds. It can also be viewed as a feminine elaboration of Nigel, whose personal-name history is separate. The best-known bearer is British food writer and television presenter Nigella Lawson. The name’s established modern association is botanical rather than a claim about complexion.
19961996: no US SSA record for this spelling
1997: no US SSA record for this spelling
1998: no US SSA record for this spelling
1999: no US SSA record for this spelling
2000: no US SSA record for this spelling
20012001: no US SSA record for this spelling
2002: no US SSA record for this spelling
2003: no US SSA record for this spelling
2004: no US SSA record for this spelling
2005: no US SSA record for this spelling
20062006: 5 births, rank #17,168
2007: 9 births, rank #11,630
2008: 8 births, rank #12,579
2009: no US SSA record for this spelling
2010: no US SSA record for this spelling
20112011: no US SSA record for this spelling
2012: no US SSA record for this spelling
2013: no US SSA record for this spelling
2014: 5 births, rank #16,513
20152015: 7 births, rank #13,006
In 2015, 7 babies were recorded with the name Nigella, ranking #13,006 among girls.