Sophia Girl
soh-FEE-uh
“wisdom” · Greek
#5
Ninfa
GirlSpanish, Italian· “nymph”
- Meaning
- nymph
- Origin
- Spanish, Italian
- Pronunciation
- NEEN-fah
- Syllables
- 2
- US rank 2025
- #16,607
- US babies 2025
- 5
- Best rank
- #1,025 (1928)
- Peak year
- 1928
Meaning and origin of Ninfa
Ninfa is a Spanish and Italian name that means “nymph”.
Ninfa is the Spanish and Italian word for nymph, from the Latin nympha and Greek nymphe, a young woman or bride, and the name for the nature spirits of Greek myth who lived in springs, trees and mountains. Ninfa has been used as a girls' name in Mexico and among Mexican American families, and Saint Nympha, a martyr venerated in Sicily, gave it a Christian link. It is said NEEN-fah. Ninfita is an affectionate form. Ninfa is rare in English-speaking settings, and its meaning evokes grace, youth and the natural world.
Popularity over time
Ninfa first appears in US Social Security records in 1910. It has never ranked in the national top 1,000, which keeps it genuinely uncommon. Its best national rank was #1,025 in 1928, the same year it reached its highest count of 54 babies. In 2025, 5 babies were named Ninfa, and it ranked #16,607 nationally. Its use has been fairly steady over the past decade.
Its national rank moved from #2,339 in 1920, #1,426 in 1950, #3,950 in 1980, #11,501 in 2000, #11,037 in 2010, and #16,607 in 2025. Of the 2,464 US girls named Ninfa since records began, 16% were born in the 1940s, its biggest decade. The 1950s come next, with 362 babies. Since 2010, 51 more have been named Ninfa.
Other girls' names that peaked around the same time include Marcelline, Enedina, Earleen, Romana, and Buelah.
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for girls.
Ninfa is usually pronounced NEEN-fah, with two syllables. It has five letters, starts with N and ends in “-fa”.
Middle names for Ninfa
A few middle names that flow with Ninfa: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Ninfa
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Lists that include Ninfa
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ninfa mean?
Ninfa is a Spanish and Italian name that means “nymph”.
What is the origin of the name Ninfa?
Ninfa has Spanish, Italian, and Greek roots. Ninfa is the Spanish and Italian word for nymph, from the Latin nympha and Greek nymphe, a young woman or bride, and the name for the nature spirits of Greek myth who lived in springs, trees and mountains.
Is Ninfa a popular name?
Not especially. Ninfa ranked #16,607 in the US in 2025, which puts it outside the top 1,000.
Is Ninfa a boy or girl name?
Ninfa is mainly a girl's name. In the US it is used almost only for girls.
How do you pronounce Ninfa?
Ninfa is usually pronounced NEEN-fah. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings