Neri
Neri is a unisex given name mainly used in Israel. It is derived from Hebrew ner meaning candle. It is a variant form of Neriya, meaning "Yah (יהו/יה) is my candle (נֵרִי)".
Meaning & Origin of Neri
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Neri is a unisex given name mainly used in Israel. It is derived from Hebrew ner meaning candle. It is a variant form of Neriya, meaning "Yah (יהו/יה) is my candle (נֵרִי)".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Neri
As a girl name
Neri first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1982, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2014, when 13 Neris were born — ranking #8,483 that year. As of 2026, Neri ranks #13,427 for girls with 6 births, falling sharply (-49%). In total, more than 220 Neris have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Neri first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1952, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2007, when 82 Neris were born — ranking #1,781 that year. As of 2026, Neri ranks #5,532 for boys with 17 births, rising sharply (+60% over the past five years). In total, more than 678 Neris have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Neri
Phonetically similar names — useful when Neri 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 Neri
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About the name Neri
Neri is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1952 and has accumulated 678 births in the dataset. Neri's peak popularity came in 2007 when it ranked #1,781. Use the chart and map above to compare Neri's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2007 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- 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.