Declining since 2010, #8,910 for boys today.
Popularity of Neven since 1976
Babies named Neven per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 5 |
| 1980s | 7 |
| 1990s | 50 |
| 2000s | 172 |
| 2010s | 147 |
| 2020s | 56 |
Meaning & origin
Neven is a rare name in the United States, first recorded in 1976 and peaking in popularity in 2011, though it never entered the mainstream. The trajectory has been falling since 2010, and in 2025 it ranked 8910 with a 1-in-213,510 occurrence. As a given name with both Irish and Slavic roots, Neven offers a cross-cultural appeal: the Irish derivation connects to meanings like 'heaven' or 'saint', while the Slavic version refers to the marigold flower. Its rarity makes it a distinctive choice for parents seeking a name with depth and international flavor, though no U.S. states list it among their top names.
The name Neven has multiple possible origins. In Irish, it may be a variant of Nevan or Nevin, derived from naomh (saint) or neamh (heaven), or from Old Irish nemed meaning 'sacred' or 'church'. Alternatively, in South Slavic languages (Croatian, Serbian), Neven is a botanical name meaning 'marigold'. The Irish usage has been recorded since the 20th century, while the Slavic form is more traditional in the Balkans.
“Neven” around the world
Where Neven lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
30
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Nev, Nevy
Sibling names for Neven
Names that share Neven's style, for a brother or sister.
