Rising since 2020.
Popularity of Neave since 2003
Babies named Neave per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 2000s | 58 |
| 2010s | 92 |
| 2020s | 25 |
Meaning & origin
Neave is a modern variant of the Irish name Niamh, meaning 'bright' or 'radiant.' It first appeared in U.S. birth records in 2003 and has steadily gained attention, with its peak year in 2017. Though it has not yet cracked the national top 1,000, its popularity has been rising since 2020, reflecting a growing interest in short, Celtic-inspired names. Neave's spelling differentiates it from the more common Neve, offering a distinctive yet intuitive choice. The name has been borne primarily by girls, and its lack of top-state appearances suggests broad but modest use across the country.
Neave is a modern spelling variant of Neve, itself an anglicization of the Irish name Niamh meaning 'bright' or 'radiant.' In Irish mythology, Niamh of the Golden Hair was a fairy queen. The spelling Neave emerged in the early 2000s, likely influenced by fashion for short, vowel-heavy names.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Nee, Nev, Nia
Sibling names for Neave
Names that share Neave's style, for a brother or sister.
