Nenad
Nenad is a masculine given name of Slavic origin. It is common in countries that speak South Slavic languages, especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, and Montenegro. The name is derived from the word nenadan, which means "unexpected".
- Serbian
- Croatian
Meaning & Origin of Nenad
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Nenad is a masculine given name of Slavic origin. It is common in countries that speak South Slavic languages, especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, and Montenegro. The name is derived from the word nenadan, which means "unexpected".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Serbian
- Croatian
The Story of Nenad
American parents first put Nenad on the record books as a baby boy name in 1969, with 8 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1979, when 9 Nenads were born — ranking #4,068 that year. The 1970s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 44% of all recorded Nenads. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2001 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 43 Nenads have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Nenad
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Nenad. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Nenad
Phonetically similar names — useful when Nenad 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 Nenad
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About the name Nenad
Nenad is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1969 and has accumulated 43 births in the dataset. Nenad's peak popularity came in 1979 when it ranked #4,068. Use the chart and map above to compare Nenad's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1979 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- 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.