Folk etymology
Folk etymology derives the name Neshalj from the phrase "Noh-salj" (نثلج), meaning "nine-snow" and interpreted to mean that there are nine months of snow each year in the village. A more probable origin, according to Habib Borjian, is a derivation from a prefix, either "*ni-" ("down") or "*niš-" ("out"), attached to a root such as "*rak" ("arrange"), referring to the prominent ridges and gorges around the village.