boy's name
Nassim
na-SEEM
- Origin Arabic
- Gender Boy
- Letters 6
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 19,061
France
#184
2025 births
Nassim is a boy's name of Arabic origin meaning "gentle breeze," and it is one of very few names that describe weather rather than a person. It ranks 184th in France and is stable in our data.
- Nassim is a name of Arabic origin.
- Peaked in France in 2008, when 660 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 1,933 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1965.
Nassim over time
Births per decade in France, 1960s 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 |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 20 |
| 1970s | 235 |
| 1980s | 1,135 |
| 1990s | 2,900 |
| 2000s | 5,565 |
| 2010s | 6,015 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 2,255 |
What Nassim means
Nassim means a gentle breeze, or fresh air. The Arabic nasim is specifically the light wind of early morning, so the name describes a particular quality of air rather than wind in general.
Where Nassim comes from
Nassim is a French spelling of the Arabic Nasim, meaning a gentle breeze — specifically the cool light air of dawn, from a root associated with breathing and freshness. Sham el-Nessim, the Egyptian spring festival whose name means smelling the breeze, uses the same word and is one of the oldest continuously observed holidays anywhere, predating both Christianity and Islam in Egypt. The name is unusual among Arabic given names in describing a condition of the world rather than a quality of a person: most are praiseworthy, trustworthy, exalted. Nassim Nicholas Taleb, the statistician who wrote The Black Swan, is its best-known bearer in English. Nesim and Nassima are the Turkish and feminine forms.
Nassim in use
Nassim ranks 184th in France with about 305 births in 2025 and is stable in our data with a peak in 2008. Our records carry it from 1965. It is very rare elsewhere at 8,424th in the United States and absent from the British tables, where Nasim is the more usual spelling — which puts it among the more strictly French of the Maghrebi-associated names.
How popular is Nassim?
In 2025, Nassim was given to 305 babies in France, ranking #184 that year. It is a rare choice.
Where Nassim 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 Nassim is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Nassïm | Nassïm is a rare spelling of Nassim, written with a diaeresis and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
Names that peaked alongside Nassim
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Nassim also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Nassim over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Nassim in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Nassim
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Nassim — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Nassim
What does the name Nassim mean?
Nassim means "gentle breeze" — specifically the cool light air of dawn.
Is Sham el-Nessim related?
Yes — the Egyptian spring festival means smelling the breeze, using the same word.
Is Nassim a nature name?
In effect. It is one of very few Arabic given names describing a condition of the world rather than a human quality.
How popular is Nassim?
184th in France.
Is Nassim a girl's or a boy's name?
Nassim is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
Is Nassim a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Nassim currently ranks #184 in France. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.