unisex name
Nao
- Origin Japanese
- Gender Unisex
- Letters 3
- Popularity Top 1000 (France)
- Births on record 1,211
France
#839
2025 births
Nao is a unisex name. It is given to both girls and boys — about 21% of recorded births with this name are girls. In 2023 it was given to 7 babies in the United States. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
- Nao is a name of Japanese origin.
- Peaked in France in 2021, when 105 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 9,825 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1997.
Nao over time
Births per decade in France, 1990s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 5 |
| 2000s | 135 |
| 2010s | 465 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 475 |
How popular is Nao?
In 2025, Nao was given to 60 babies in France, ranking #839 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Nao is used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
How Nao is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Naö | Naö is a rare spelling of Nao, written with a diaeresis and recorded about 10 times, mostly in France. | 10 |
Names that peaked alongside Nao
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Nao also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Nao over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Sibling names for Nao
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Nao — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Nao
How popular is the name Nao?
In 2025, Nao was given to 60 babies in France, ranking #839 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Nao a girl's or a boy's name?
Nao is used for both girls and boys. About 21% of recorded births with this name are girls.
When was Nao most popular?
Nao peaked in 2021, when 105 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Nao a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Nao currently ranks #839 in France. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.