Nuala

Nuala is a female first name that is considered a diminutive and affectionate form of the Irish Gaelic name Fionnuala, which has its origin in the Old Irish Finnguala. Metaphorically, the name means 'the White-Shouldered Fairy' or literally 'white shoulder.'

What does the name Nuala mean?

Nuala represents a diminutive and affectionate form of the Irish Gaelic name Fionnuala, which is derived from the Old Irish Finnguala. The name is interpreted metaphorically as 'the White-Shouldered Fairy' and literally as 'white shoulder.' The origin of the name lies in Old Irish and consists of the elements fionn, meaning 'white,' 'blonde,' or 'bright,' and gúala, which stands for 'the shoulder.' It is pronounced either as 'Nuh-la' or 'Njuäla.' In Irish mythology, Nuala was one of the four children of the sea god Lir, who were transformed into swans for 900 years. Other variants of the name include Fionnghuala, Finnuala, Fionnghal, Finella, Fenella, Finola, Fynvola, Finuala, Fionola, and Fynella.

Where does the name Nuala come from?

The name Nuala has its roots in Old Irish and means 'the White-Shouldered Fairy.' The components of the word consist of fionn, meaning 'white,' 'blonde,' or 'bright,' and gúala, meaning 'the shoulder.' The name is common in Gaelic and Irish language.

How do you pronounce Nuala?

Nuh-la or Njuäla

Popularity

In Germany, Nuala is a rare first name. Currently, it ranks 5,884th in the list of the most common female baby names. Its best ranking was 2,475th in 2012. In the last ten years, Nuala has been given as a first name around 30 times, placing it 4,714th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 4,511th.

Nicknames & pet names

Nela

Famous people

• Nuala Holloway (Irish model)
• Nuala Kennedy (American singer)
• Nuala McKeever (actress from England)
• Nuala Ni Chonchuir (Irish poet)
• Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill (Irish poet)
• Nuala O’Faolain (writer and journalist)
• Nuala Wolfe (writer from Ireland)