Ninja
A ninja , shinobi no mono or shinobi was a spy and infiltrator in pre-modern Japan. Antecedents may have existed as early as the 12th century. Current legends to the contrary, there is little evidence that they were assassins.
Meaning & Origin of Ninja
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
A ninja , shinobi no mono or shinobi was a spy and infiltrator in pre-modern Japan. Antecedents may have existed as early as the 12th century. Current legends to the contrary, there is little evidence that they were assassins.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Etymology
Origin & history
The Story of Ninja
Ninja first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1983, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1983, when 8 Ninjas were born — ranking #7,310 that year. As of 2026, Ninja ranks #9,306 for baby girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 19 Ninjas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Ninja
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Kumawaka (the 16th century): a suppa (ninja) who served Obu Toramasa (1504– 1565), a vassal of Takeda Shingen .
- Fūma Kotarō (d. 1603): a ninja rumored to have killed Hattori Hanzō, with whom he was supposedly rivals. The fictional weapon Fūma shuriken is named after him.
- Fujibayashi Nagato-no-kami (16th century). His descendants wrote and edited the Bansenshukai .
- Katō Danzō (1503–1569): a famed 16th-century ninja master during the Sengoku period who was also known as "Flying Katō". [ citation needed ]
- Shimotsuge no Kizaru (16th century): an influential Iga ninja who in 1560 successfully led an attack on Tōichi Castle . [ citation needed ]
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Ninja
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ninja 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 Ninja
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About the name Ninja
Ninja is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1983 and has accumulated 19 births in the dataset. Ninja's peak popularity came in 1983 when it ranked #7,310. Use the chart and map above to compare Ninja's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1983 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "N" →
- Browse all girl 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.