Nyx
In Greek mythology, Nyx is the goddess and personification of the night. In Hesiod's Theogony, she is the offspring of Chaos, and the mother of Aether and Hemera (Day) by Erebus (Darkness). By herself, she produces a brood of children which are mainly personifications of primarily negative forces. She features in a number of early cosmogonies, which place her as one of the first deities to exist.
- Greek Mythology
Meaning & Origin of Nyx
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
In Greek mythology, Nyx is the goddess and personification of the night. In Hesiod's Theogony, she is the offspring of Chaos, and the mother of Aether and Hemera (Day) by Erebus (Darkness). By herself, she produces a brood of children which are mainly personifications of primarily negative forces. She features in a number of early cosmogonies, which place her as one of the first deities to exist.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Greek Mythology
The Story of Nyx
As a girl name
Nyx first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2008, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2022: 84 births, good for #2,227 nationwide. About 75% of every Nyx on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Nyx ranks #2,390 for girls with 76 births, rising sharply (+109% over the past five years). All told, over 616 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2000s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Nyx as a boy name dates back to 2012, when 6 babies received it. 2026 was its biggest year on record, with 33 newborns named Nyx — #3,521 in the national rankings. About 89% of every Nyx on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Nyx ranks #3,521 for boys with 33 births, rising sharply (+283% over the past five years). All told, over 174 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2010s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Nyx
Phonetically similar names — useful when Nyx is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Nix
- Nicks
- Knicks
- Nics
- Niks
- Nixe
- Pnyx
- Next
- Necks
- Nex
- Knucks
- Nucs
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Nyx
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About the name Nyx
Nyx is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2008 and has accumulated 616 births in the dataset. Nyx's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #2,227. Use the chart and map above to compare Nyx's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2022 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "N" →
- Browse all girl 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.