boy's name
Noah
NOH-uh
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 4
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 755,419
the United States
#2
2025 births
Noah is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "rest" or "comfort," from Noach. In the Book of Genesis, Noah builds an ark to survive a great flood, and the text itself links his name to the relief he was expected to bring from the toil of working the ground.
- Noah is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 2024, when 20,951 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 159 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Noah over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s 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 |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 895 |
| 1890s | 686 |
| 1900s | 622 |
| 1910s | 1,734 |
| 1920s | 2,284 |
| 1930s | 1,612 |
| 1940s | 1,523 |
| 1950s | 1,456 |
| 1960s | 1,524 |
| 1970s | 5,726 |
| 1980s | 12,488 |
| 1990s | 56,578 |
| 2000s | 144,153 |
| 2010s | 184,643 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 118,698 |
What Noah means
Noah means rest, comfort, or relief, from the Hebrew root nuach, meaning to rest or settle. Genesis makes the connection explicit, presenting the name as an expression of the hope that he would bring respite from hard labor.
Where Noah comes from
Noah comes from the Hebrew Noach, connected to the root nuach, to rest. Genesis 5:29 offers an internal explanation for the name, saying he was so called because he would bring relief from the painful toil of the ground — one of a number of biblical names given an in-text etymology. The flood narrative in which Noah builds an ark and survives with his family and the animals has close parallels in older Mesopotamian literature, notably the Epic of Gilgamesh. The name entered English through Latin and Greek renderings of the Hebrew scriptures, and came into regular use among English speakers after the Reformation, when Old Testament names became widely adopted.
How popular is Noah?
In 2025, Noah was given to 20,826 babies in the United States, ranking #2 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Noah is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Noah
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Noah also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Noah over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Noah
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Noah 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 Noah
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Noah — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Noah
What does the name Noah mean?
Noah means "rest" or "comfort," from the Hebrew root nuach.
Is Noah a biblical name?
Yes. Noah builds the ark in the Book of Genesis and survives the flood.
Does the Bible explain Noah's name?
Genesis 5:29 links the name to relief from the toil of working the ground.
How popular is the name Noah?
In 2025, Noah was given to 20,826 babies in the United States, ranking #2 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Noah a girl's or a boy's name?
Noah is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Noah?
Noah has 2 syllables.
When was Noah most popular?
Noah peaked in 2024, when 20,951 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Noah?
Noah is usually shortened to No.
Is Noah a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Noah currently ranks #1 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.