Boy · #2 in 2026

Noah

Noah is historically an English male given name derived from the Biblical figure Noah (נחַ) in Hebrew. It is most likely of Hebrew in origin from the root word "nuach”/“nuakh”, meaning rest. Another explanation says that it is derived from the Hebrew root word Nahum meaning "to comfort" with the final consonant dropped.

  • English
  • German
  • Danish
  • Swedish
Current Rank
#2
Peak Rank
#1 (2024)
Total Babies
549K
5-Yr Trend
+6%
1931
First Year
2026
Last Year
2026
Peak Year
#527
Peak Rank
6K
Total Count
53
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Noah

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Noah is historically an English male given name derived from the Biblical figure Noah (נחַ) in Hebrew. It is most likely of Hebrew in origin from the root word "nuach”/“nuakh”, meaning rest. Another explanation says that it is derived from the Hebrew root word Nahum meaning "to comfort" with the final consonant dropped.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • English
  • German
  • Danish
  • Swedish
  • Norwegian
  • Dutch
  • French
  • Biblical

The Story of Noah

Noah first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 103 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2024, when 20,337 Noahs were born — ranking #2 that year. As of 2026, Noah ranks #2 for baby boys with 20,321 births, gradually rising (+6%). In total, more than 549K Noahs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Noah

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Noah. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Notable people named Noah

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

  • Noah Abatneh (born 2004), Canadian soccer player
  • Noah Abich (born 1987), Kenyan footballer
  • Noah Abid (born 2000), Tunisian-Dutch footballer
  • Noah Ablett (1883–1935), Welsh trade unionist
  • Noah Abrams (born 1998), English footballer
  • Noah Adamia (1917–1942), Soviet sniper
  • Noah Adams , American journalist
  • Noah Adedeji-Sternberg (born 2005), Belgian footballer

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Where is Noah most common?

Predicted country distribution based on naming patterns globally.

  • CM
    57%
  • Nigeria
    14%
  • GH
    13%
  • UG
    9%
  • United States
    7%

Source: Nationalize.io . Probabilities are global naming-pattern estimates, not strict counts.

Names that sound like Noah

Phonetically similar names — useful when Noah is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Noah

What does the name Noah mean?
Noah is historically an English male given name derived from the Biblical figure Noah (נחַ) in Hebrew. It is most likely of Hebrew in origin from the root word "nuach”/“nuakh”, meaning rest. Another explanation says that it is derived from the Hebrew root word Nahum meaning "to comfort" with the final consonant dropped.
What is the origin of the name Noah?
Noah has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, French, Biblical.
How popular is Noah in 2026?
In 2026, Noah ranks #2 among boys' names in the U.S., with 20,321 babies given the name that year.
When was Noah most popular?
Noah reached its peak popularity in 2024, ranking #1 that year with 20,337 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Noah most popular?
Noah has historically been most popular in Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Noah.
Is Noah a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Noah is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Noah?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Noah include John, James, Robert. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Noah?
Common variants and related forms of Noah include Noa. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

About the name Noah

Noah is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 549K births in the dataset. Noah's peak popularity came in 2024 when it ranked #1. Use the chart and map above to compare Noah's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.