Boy Names That Start With N
These boy names that start with N come straight from US birth records: 1,060 different boy names starting with N were given to at least five babies in a single year. The list below starts with the 100 used most often, then splits them into names popular right now, rising names, rare finds and short or long picks.
N might be the most spelling-heavy letter for boys. The data holds Nicholas and Nicolas, Neil and Neal, and on the rising list both Niko and Nico. None is wrong, but each pair leads to a lifetime of quick corrections.
Noah ranks among the classics and today's favorites alike, a sign of real staying power. Fresher choices like Nash bring a short, clipped sound that suits longer surnames.
For siblings, N names pair easily with almost any letter because the N sound is gentle. Just avoid matching endings, since many N names finish in -an or -el.
- Boy names starting with N
- 1,060
- Most used ever
- Nicholas 895,397 babies
- Most popular in 2017
- Noah #2 overall
- Common endings
- -el, -an, -on
Top 100 boy names that start with N
Ranked by how many babies have been given each name since 1880. "Peak decade" is when the name was used most; "Trend" compares the ten years to 2017 with the ten years before.
| # | Name | Babies given the name | Peak decade | Rank in 2017 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nicholas | 895,397 | 1990s | #68 | Falling |
| 2 | Nathan | 542,579 | 2000s | #45 | Steady |
| 3 | Noah | 375,210 | 2010s | #2 | Steady |
| 4 | Nathaniel | 264,331 | 2000s | #112 | Steady |
| 5 | Norman | 251,806 | 1930s | #1,119 | Steady |
| 6 | Neil | 102,123 | 1950s | #619 | Steady |
| 7 | Nolan | 94,052 | 2010s | #67 | Rising |
| 8 | Nicolas | 85,430 | 2000s | #205 | Steady |
| 9 | Nelson | 76,886 | 1950s | #633 | Steady |
| 10 | Neal | 54,236 | 1950s | #1,363 | Steady |
| 11 | Nick | 49,379 | 1960s | #1,238 | Steady |
| 12 | Noel | 46,207 | 2010s | #386 | Steady |
| 13 | Nickolas | 38,001 | 1990s | #946 | Falling |
| 14 | Noe | 20,770 | 2000s | #659 | Steady |
| 15 | Nikolas | 20,499 | 2000s | #586 | Steady |
| 16 | Norbert | 20,296 | 1920s | #8,781 | Falling |
| 17 | Nathanael | 19,310 | 2000s | #646 | Steady |
| 18 | Ned | 17,202 | 1920s | #12,171 | Steady |
| 19 | Norris | 16,291 | 1950s | #3,349 | Steady |
| 20 | Nehemiah | 15,607 | 2010s | #372 | Rising |
| 21 | Nigel | 11,588 | 1990s | #1,224 | Steady |
| 22 | Nasir | 11,356 | 2000s | #411 | Steady |
| 23 | Nash | 10,910 | 2010s | #283 | Rising |
| 24 | Nico | 10,400 | 2010s | #413 | Rising |
| 25 | Nathanial | 10,329 | 1990s | #2,374 | Falling |
| 26 | Nestor | 9,664 | 1990s | #1,386 | Steady |
| 27 | Noble | 8,513 | 1920s | #1,185 | Rising |
| 28 | Newton | 7,961 | 1920s | #3,758 | Steady |
| 29 | Napoleon | 7,678 | 1920s | #5,743 | Steady |
| 30 | Nicky | 7,367 | 1960s | #5,260 | Falling |
| 31 | Niko | 6,999 | 2010s | #552 | Rising |
| 32 | Nikolai | 6,787 | 2010s | #505 | Rising |
| 33 | Nevin | 5,989 | 2000s | #2,202 | Steady |
| 34 | Nathen | 5,902 | 2000s | #2,511 | Steady |
| 35 | Normand | 5,831 | 1930s | not given | Falling |
| 36 | Nikhil | 4,925 | 2000s | #1,716 | Steady |
| 37 | Norberto | 4,768 | 1990s | #3,651 | Falling |
| 38 | Nixon | 4,439 | 2010s | #482 | Rising |
| 39 | Niles | 4,003 | 1990s | #2,092 | Steady |
| 40 | Nate | 3,715 | 2000s | #1,800 | Steady |
| 41 | Nels | 3,699 | 1950s | #5,486 | Steady |
| 42 | Nicklaus | 3,301 | 1990s | #4,432 | Falling |
| 43 | Newell | 3,225 | 1920s | not given | Rising |
| 44 | Nicholaus | 3,202 | 1980s | #6,015 | Falling |
| 45 | Nikko | 3,170 | 2010s | #1,339 | Rising |
| 46 | Nile | 2,960 | 2010s | #2,251 | Steady |
| 47 | Nancy | 2,946 | 1940s | not given | Falling |
| 48 | Nils | 2,917 | 1960s | #5,080 | Steady |
| 49 | Norwood | 2,909 | 1920s | not given | Rare |
| 50 | Nolen | 2,904 | 2010s | #1,964 | Rising |
| 51 | Nicola | 2,754 | 1970s | #3,969 | Steady |
| 52 | Neel | 2,682 | 2000s | #1,460 | Steady |
| 53 | Najee | 2,513 | 1990s | #3,491 | Falling |
| 54 | Nikolaus | 2,452 | 1990s | #3,969 | Falling |
| 55 | Nikita | 2,427 | 2000s | #2,025 | Steady |
| 56 | Nikola | 2,395 | 2010s | #1,370 | Rising |
| 57 | Nazir | 2,388 | 2000s | #1,300 | Steady |
| 58 | Norval | 2,376 | 1920s | not given | Rare |
| 59 | Nino | 2,369 | 2000s | #3,288 | Steady |
| 60 | Nicklas | 2,356 | 2000s | #4,070 | Falling |
| 61 | Norton | 2,305 | 1920s | not given | Falling |
| 62 | Neville | 2,253 | 1970s | #6,307 | Steady |
| 63 | Neymar | 2,159 | 2010s | #1,016 | New |
| 64 | Nat | 2,158 | 1910s | not given | Falling |
| 65 | Narciso | 2,029 | 1950s | #6,652 | Falling |
| 66 | Noam | 2,000 | 2010s | #1,697 | Rising |
| 67 | Neftali | 1,991 | 2000s | #3,105 | Steady |
| 68 | Naim | 1,970 | 2000s | #2,410 | Steady |
| 69 | Newman | 1,884 | 1920s | #12,171 | Steady |
| 70 | Neill | 1,811 | 1950s | not given | Falling |
| 71 | Nickolaus | 1,785 | 1990s | #7,500 | Falling |
| 72 | Nunzio | 1,782 | 1920s | #8,078 | Steady |
| 73 | Nahum | 1,727 | 2000s | #1,988 | Steady |
| 74 | Nyle | 1,690 | 2010s | #2,057 | Rising |
| 75 | Nikolaos | 1,680 | 2000s | #2,933 | Steady |
| 76 | Nickey | 1,662 | 1950s | not given | Falling |
| 77 | Naeem | 1,637 | 2000s | #2,141 | Steady |
| 78 | Niklas | 1,612 | 2000s | #3,651 | Falling |
| 79 | Nabil | 1,601 | 2000s | #3,050 | Steady |
| 80 | Noland | 1,570 | 1960s | #4,070 | Steady |
| 81 | Natanael | 1,553 | 2000s | #2,410 | Steady |
| 82 | Neo | 1,530 | 2000s | #1,800 | Steady |
| 83 | Nader | 1,476 | 1990s | #4,712 | Falling |
| 84 | Naftali | 1,461 | 2000s | #2,658 | Rising |
| 85 | Nicolai | 1,421 | 2010s | #2,695 | Rising |
| 86 | Nathon | 1,415 | 1990s | #8,078 | Falling |
| 87 | Niall | 1,406 | 2010s | #1,889 | Steady |
| 88 | Niels | 1,360 | 1950s | #6,015 | Steady |
| 89 | Nery | 1,350 | 2000s | #4,568 | Rising |
| 90 | Niel | 1,342 | 1950s | not given | Steady |
| 91 | Nam | 1,313 | 1980s | #3,969 | Steady |
| 92 | Naquan | 1,289 | 1990s | not given | Falling |
| 93 | Nicolo | 1,239 | 2000s | #4,194 | Steady |
| 94 | Norvell | 1,158 | 1930s | not given | Rising |
| 95 | Natale | 1,151 | 1920s | not given | Falling |
| 96 | Natan | 1,151 | 2010s | #2,092 | Rising |
| 97 | Nehemias | 1,127 | 2010s | #1,572 | Rising |
| 98 | Namon | 1,121 | 1920s | not given | Steady |
| 99 | Nicolaus | 1,110 | 1990s | #5,743 | Falling |
| 100 | Nasser | 1,081 | 2000s | #4,070 | Steady |
Popular boy names starting with N right now
The most used N names for boys in 2017, with their national rank among all boy names.
- Noah #2
- Nathan #45
- Nolan #67
- Nicholas #68
- Nathaniel #112
- Nicolas #205
- Nash #283
- Nehemiah #372
- Noel #386
- Nasir #411
- Nico #413
- Nixon #482
- Nikolai #505
- Niko #552
- Nikolas #586
- Neil #619
- Nelson #633
- Nathanael #646
- Noe #659
- Nickolas #946
- Neymar #1016
- Norman #1119
- Noble #1185
- Niklaus #1185
- Nigel #1224
- Nick #1238
- Nazir #1300
- Nikko #1339
- Neal #1363
- Niam #1363
Rising boy names with N
Names used far more in the last ten years than in the ten years before.
- Neymar
- Nixon
- Nash
- Nikolai
- Niko
- Nico
- Nehemiah
- Nolan
Unique and rare boy names that start with N
Real names that are still being given today but stay uncommon, so a child is unlikely to share it with a classmate.
- Neymar
- Nikko
- Nazir
- Nate
- Nikola
- Neel
- Noam
- Nikita
- Nolen
- Neo
- Nahum
- Nehemias
- Niam
- Nery
- Nicolai
- Nile
- Natanael
- Naeem
- Naim
- Natan
- Naftali
- Niklaus
- Nyle
- Niall
- Nikolaos
- Neftali
- Nevan
- Nahom
- Nabil
- Naveen
Classic and vintage N names
Names that peaked before the 1960s. Many are now rare enough to feel fresh again.
- Norman 1930s
- Neil 1950s
- Nelson 1950s
- Neal 1950s
- Norbert 1920s
- Ned 1920s
- Norris 1950s
- Noble 1920s
- Newton 1920s
- Napoleon 1920s
- Normand 1930s
Short boy names that start with N
Four letters or fewer: easy to spell, easy to call across a playground.
- Noah
- Neil
- Neal
- Nick
- Noel
- Noe
- Ned
- Nash
- Nico
- Niko
- Nate
- Nels
- Nile
- Nils
- Neel
- Nino
- Nat
- Noam
- Naim
- Nyle
Long boy names with N
Eight letters or more, often with ready-made nicknames.
- Nicholas
- Nathaniel
- Nickolas
- Nathanael
- Nehemiah
- Nathanial
- Napoleon
- Norberto
- Nicklaus
- Nicholaus
- Nikolaus
- Nickolaus
- Nikolaos
- Natanael
- Nehemias
- Nicolaus
Boy names that start and end with N
Names that begin and end with the same letter, N.
- Nathan
- Norman
- Nolan
- Nelson
- Newton
- Napoleon
- Nevin
- Nathen
- Nixon
- Nolen
- Norton
- Newman
- Nathon
- Naquan
- Natan
- Namon
- Nevan
- Naveen
- Norvin
- Nashawn
Filter every boy name that starts with N
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Looking for girl names too? See girl names that start with N, all names that start with N or the name finder for any letter and ending.
Questions people ask
What is the most popular boy name that starts with N?
Nicholas is the most used boy name starting with N in US records, given to 895,397 babies since 1880. In 2017 the most popular was Noah, ranked #2 among all boy names.
How many boy names start with N?
US birth records list 1,060 different boy names starting with N, counting every name given to at least five babies in a year.
What are some unique boy names that start with N?
Uncommon names still in use include Neymar, Nikko, Nazir, Nate, Nikola, Neel.
Which boy names start and end with N?
Nathan, Norman, Nolan, Nelson, Newton, Napoleon, Nevin, Nathen all begin and end with N.
What are short boy names that start with N?
Short picks include Noah, Neil, Neal, Nick, Noel, Noe, Ned.
Source: US Social Security baby name records for every name given to at least 5 babies in a year, from 1880 to 2017. Names are grouped as boy names when most babies given the name were boys.