The NFL despatched attorneys to discuss the situation with league chiefs, fearing the similar names gave the impression the NFL was affiliated with the NWFL.
The women's league will now be known as the National Women's Football Association.
Said Catherine Masters, founder of the women's league: "I didn't have time to be involved in a long court battle, even though I thought I could win."
Pressure from the NFL's legal team has resulted in the National Women's Football League in the US changing its name.
