She’s a big screen favorite and a world famous destination, too.
Thanks to Tara for suggesting Nola as Name of the Day.
You’ll find plenty of meanings listed for Nola. That’s probably because of her status as a diminutive for a range of names – Nicola, Eleanor, Leonor, Magnolia and Finola, to name just a few.
But Nola is frequently bestowed as an independent name, too. She regularly ranked in the US Top 1000 in the nineteenth century, right into the 1960s.
Today, Nola is often heard in references to New Orleans. (New Orleans, Louisiana – New Orleans, LA – NOLA.) But that’s far from the first time Nola appeared on the map.
Back in the Bronze Age, Nuvlana was an ancient settlement, probably decimated by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius circa 1600 BC. It’s not far from modern day Naples. Today, it is a sleep little village called Nola, but over the years it featured in many a significant event.
A world away, there’s a Nola in the Central African Republic.
As for New Orleans, it is a place long been immortalized in fiction. Travelers come from across the planet to take part in Mardi Gras. And in the post-Katrina era, everyone knows New Orleans.
The city features in countless films, as does the name Nola. If you’re naming a quirky, beautiful female character, Nola has been a likely choice in recent decades:
- Spike Lee was first. His Nola Darling was the “she” in 1986’s She’s Gotta Have It. Filmed in just two weeks on a shoestring budget, the flick catapulted Lee to fame. Nola couldn’t decide between three suitors. Lee himself played one of the three, bike messenger Mars;
- Emmy Rossum played the title role in 2004’s Nola. It’s a sweet tale of a young woman running away to the big city to find her true father/launch a singing career/escape her ho-hum smalltown life. She ends up working for an escort service, but never fear – she’s just their Girl Friday;
- In 2005, Woody Allen’s Match Point took the name in a darker direction. Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays a tennis pro engaged to a rich girl – but having an affair with an American actress – Nola, played by Scarlett Johannson.
And then there’s her rhyming cousin Lola, also a diminutive frequently bestowed as an independent name back in the day.
While Nola would make for a fun nickname, she could also fit right in with many modern monikers. Think of other brief-but-complete choices from popular picks like Emma and Zoe to the newly fashionable, like Isla and Esme. Nola strikes a nice balance between antique revival and modern coinage.
After many years out of sight, Nola reappeared in the US Top 1000 rankings at #918 in 2008. That’s the only possible drawback to this appealing choice – she could leapfrog up the charts like Lola. Not only does Nola seem a smidge less like a nickname, she’s got none of that bad-girl-baggage.
Overall, Nola makes for a good choice for parents seeking a distinctive, but still straightforward, easily-spelled name for a daughter.
Abi says
August 30, 2012 at 12:22 AMWhen I click on this link I do not get the full article. Has it been archived? I only see the first three sentences. Would love the full low down.
Thanks!
appellationmountain says
August 30, 2012 at 6:08 AMIt’s fixed, Abi – enjoy!
Laura Jenkins says
July 23, 2012 at 3:55 PMMy 2 year old is also called Nola, I have never come across any Nola’s so it is lovely to read this! I obviously love the simple but pretty name also!
Lauren says
December 3, 2010 at 2:23 AMWe named our daughter Nola. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve been told how pretty her name is. We just love it. It’s simple and feminine, with a kind of melodic quality. The only real downside is that you’ll–of course–be hard pressed to find the name on any of those novelty items that come with names pre-printed on them–e.g., cups, bicycle license plates, etc. This little factor has frustrated our daughter from time to time, but is no real biggie in the grand scheme of things. A few custom orders from time to time have resolved this issue.
Nola says
November 16, 2010 at 10:42 AMMY name is Nola and I was named after my grandmother. I really like the name!
Kelly Beth says
July 18, 2010 at 1:18 AMDon’t forget Magnolia, the heroine of Show Boat, whose father called her Nola and Nolie.
appellationmountain says
July 20, 2010 at 6:20 AMThanks, Kelly Beth. It’s a great reference!
Elizabeth says
July 14, 2010 at 5:41 PMNola Adele – lovely!
Jazmill says
July 14, 2010 at 10:10 AMMy wife and I landed on Nola Adele – to be born October 4th, 2010 🙂 We are from New Orleans so that name just sounded so perfect!!! Glad to see the comments!!!
Juliet says
December 23, 2009 at 4:35 PMActually, I agree that Nora is a bit dull.
It seems like all the names I am suggesting you have done! Oh well. 🙂
I actually like Nola a lot. Nola Eve is on my name list. It has this crisp, clean sound. Fresh and young without being babyish. Irish,once again. So huge bonus in my book. I don’t see any reasons at this stage for it to sky rocket. Most of the people on Yahoo Answers dislike it. Or , a lot do. It is somewhere in the 900s in America, if I remember correctly.
I love the meaning and it’s origin of :light, torch, bright OR brave as a lion
Lovely name. I don’t like enough to use – there are others that I prefer more, but, it’s in the the top 15 to top 10.
Blair Nola is also on my name list
Constance says
December 15, 2009 at 3:26 PMI just came across this – we have an 8 month old named, Nola and had no idea that it might sky-rocket in popularity, but it is a beautiful name and perhaps that means we are just trend-setters! I also very much like Nora. My name is Constance and I have always enjoyed having a name everyone recognized but didn’t hear frequently and often receives a “what a pretty name” comment. That was what we were shooting for with Nola. It makes me happy to see such complimentary comments on there. Thanks for this great background of her name!
athgirl says
December 14, 2009 at 4:38 PMNola was also the name of a main character in Hustle & Flow, played by Taryn Manning. The movie also had a male Shelby.
appellationmountain says
December 14, 2009 at 6:01 PMThanks, Athgirl! I just stumbled across a mention of a newborn baby girl called “Nola Page” out there in the blogosphere – I really think this one is catching on.
athgirl says
December 15, 2009 at 5:11 PMPage/Paige is one of my guilty pleasures… I doubt my fiance would approve, though!
Tara says
December 14, 2009 at 2:44 PMThanks so much for posting! I suggested this name as it is currently my husband and my number one choice if baby #1 is a girl. I think I’d use a longer, feminine middle name since Nola is short and can be considered a nickname. Right now we are leaning toward Nola Valentina. I agree it is a great balance between Nora and Lola, but am so afraid it’s going to skyrocket in popularity!
appellationmountain says
December 14, 2009 at 6:02 PMNola Valentina is gorgeous!
Eva says
December 12, 2009 at 10:08 AMI like Nola a lot. But it doesn’t compare to Nora! Nora seems more elegant. I LOVE Magnolia and would use Nola as a nickname.
Nola seems like a good compromise name – if mom likes Nora, but dad prefers Lola, Nola is a perfect choice!
Bek says
December 11, 2009 at 11:43 PMI love Nola. My preferred name is Finola nn Nola.
I do agree it’s a lot more exciting than Nora. I’ve known at least 3 or 4 born this year – it’s dull to me.
Sebastiane says
December 11, 2009 at 8:50 PMI think Nola is incredibly adorable, a nice alternative to the dull Nora and a bit tamer than the wild Lola.
photoquilty says
December 11, 2009 at 11:02 PMDull Nora? As if!
Amy says
December 11, 2009 at 7:10 PMThis is my first time commenting, but I read this website all the time, aaaand, Nola has been my favorite name for ages! I’m so happy to see it appreciated! Here’s to hoping it doesn’t “leapfrog up the charts” before I have a chance to use it!