Rising since 1985, #2,363 for boys today.
Popularity of Nahum since 1918
Babies named Nahum per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2007, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Nahum's real moment was 2023.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 7 |
| 1920s | 6 |
| 1930s | 0 |
| 1940s | 0 |
| 1950s | 13 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 82 |
| 1980s | 130 |
| 1990s | 305 |
| 2000s | 648 |
| 2010s | 667 |
| 2020s | 339 |
Meaning & origin
Nahum is a biblical name from the Old Testament, belonging to a minor prophet whose short book delivers a message of comfort to Judah and judgment to Nineveh. Despite its scriptural pedigree, the name has always been rare in the United States. In 2025, Nahum ranked 2,363 and was given to roughly 1 in every 29,450 boys. Its popularity has been slowly rising since 1985, peaking in 2023. The name is most frequently chosen in Virginia, Florida, and Texas. For parents seeking a distinctive, grounded biblical name with a hopeful meaning, Nahum offers an underused alternative to more common prophetic names like Isaiah or Jeremiah.
Nahum derives from the Hebrew root "nacham" meaning to comfort or console. In the Old Testament, Nahum is a minor prophet whose book foretells the fall of Nineveh. The name has been used among English-speaking Christians since the Protestant Reformation, though it has never been common in the United States.
Where Nahum is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Nahum” around the world
Where Nahum lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Sibling names for Nahum
Names that share Nahum's style, for a brother or sister.
