Nas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, known mononymously as Nas, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and record producer. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he is regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. The son of jazz musician Olu Dara, Nas began his musical career in 1989 under the moniker "Nasty Nas", and recorded demos under the wing of fellow East Coast rapper Large Professor.
Meaning & Origin of Nas
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, known mononymously as Nas, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and record producer. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he is regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. The son of jazz musician Olu Dara, Nas began his musical career in 1989 under the moniker "Nasty Nas", and recorded demos under the wing of fellow East Coast rapper Large Professor.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Nas
Nas first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1997, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2020, when 31 Nass were born — ranking #3,497 that year. As of 2026, Nas ranks #7,705 for baby boys with 7 births, falling sharply (-56%). In total, more than 249 Nass have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Nas
Phonetically similar names — useful when Nas is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Knas
- Gnas
- Nez
- Niz
- Nuez
- Knez
- News
- Knees
- Knows
- Nees
- Naz
- Gnaws
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Nas
What does the name Nas mean?
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About the name Nas
Nas is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1997 and has accumulated 249 births in the dataset. Nas's peak popularity came in 2020 when it ranked #3,497. Use the chart and map above to compare Nas's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2020 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "N" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.