Holding steady.
Popularity of Nao since 1980
Babies named Nao per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 21 | 0 |
| 1990s | 29 | 0 |
| 2000s | 30 | 10 |
| 2010s | 10 | 6 |
| 2020s | 5 | 7 |
Meaning & origin
Nao is a Japanese unisex name that has never charted in the U.S. top 1000 but saw its peak year in 1998. Since then, its trajectory has been stable, reflecting a consistent but very low level of use among American parents. The name's rarity means it lacks a strong presence in any U.S. state rankings, and its one-in-N figure is not calculable due to insufficient births. As a short, vowel-heavy name, Nao fits a modern trend toward minimalist Japanese names like Sora and Rin, yet remains distinctly uncommon outside Japan.
Nao is a name of Japanese origin, typically written with kanji such as 直 (straight, honest) or 奈央 (apple tree blossom, center). As a given name, it has been used for both boys and girls in Japan, often as a short form of names like Naoki or Naoko. Internationally, it gained some recognition through cultural figures and remains rare in English-speaking countries.
“Nao” around the world
Where Nao lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
55
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Naoh, Nah-oh
Sibling names for Nao
Names that share Nao's style, for a brother or sister.
