Neko
The Story of Neko
As a girl name
American parents first put Neko on the record books as a girl name in 1968, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2009, when 19 Nekos were born — ranking #6,810 that year. About 47% of every Neko on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. Neko last appeared in the published SSA data in 2024, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 247 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1960s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
Neko first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1969, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2021: 55 births, good for #2,439 nationwide. About 32% of every Neko on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Neko ranks #4,155 for boys with 26 births, gradually falling (-13%). All told, over 1K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1960s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Neko
Phonetically similar names — useful when Neko 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 Neko
What does the name Neko mean?
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When was Neko most popular?
In which U.S. states is Neko most popular?
Is Neko a unisex name?
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About the name Neko
Neko is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1969 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Neko's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #2,439. Use the chart and map above to compare Neko's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2021 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "N" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.