Naaman
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "pleasantness" or "delightfulness".
Name Census estimates that about 660 living Americans carry the first name Naaman. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Naaman today is around 35 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Naaman births was 2005 (20 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Naaman. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
660
~ 1 in 519,325 Americans
Peak year
2005
20 babies that year
Average age
35
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,563
Tracked since 1912
Popularity
Naaman: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Naaman from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 139 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Naaman by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Naaman during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Naamans live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. West Virginia, Texas, Pennsylvania recorded the most babies named Naaman, while Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 7 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Naaman
The name Naaman has its origins in ancient Semitic languages, particularly Hebrew and Aramaic. It is believed to have derived from the Hebrew word "na'aman," which means "pleasant" or "delightful." This name has been in use for thousands of years and has a rich historical significance.
One of the earliest and most notable mentions of the name Naaman can be found in the Bible's Second Book of Kings. Naaman was a commander in the army of the king of Aram (modern-day Syria) who was cured of leprosy by the prophet Elisha. This Biblical account dates back to around the 9th century BCE and is a significant part of Jewish and Christian traditions.
In the historical records of ancient Mesopotamia, the name Naaman appears in various forms, such as "Na'aman" and "Naman." It was a popular name among the Arameans and Assyrians, who were prominent civilizations in the region during the 1st millennium BCE.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Naaman. One of the earliest recorded figures was Naaman the Edomite (c. 850 BCE), a military commander who served under King Jehoshaphat of Judah. Another prominent figure was Naaman the Syrian (c. 850 BCE), the Biblical figure mentioned in the Second Book of Kings.
During the Middle Ages, the name Naaman was relatively uncommon in Europe but maintained its presence in the Middle East and North Africa. One notable figure from this period was Naaman bin Bashir (c. 640-725 CE), a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a prominent military leader.
In more recent times, the name Naaman has been used by various individuals, including Naaman Belkhodja (1901-1976), an Algerian nationalist and politician who played a significant role in the Algerian War of Independence against French colonial rule. Another notable figure was Naaman Roosevelt (1808-1900), an American businessman and cousin of President Theodore Roosevelt.
The name Naaman has also been used by several artists and writers, such as Naaman Rotem (1947-2021), an Israeli painter and sculptor, and Naaman Kril (born 1957), a Canadian author and poet. These individuals have contributed to the cultural and artistic heritage associated with this ancient name.
People
Naaman + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Naaman as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Naaman: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Naaman?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 660 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Naaman going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 519,325 US residents.
Is Naaman a common name?
We classify Naaman as "Very Rare". It ranks above 87.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 854 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Naaman most popular?
The single biggest year for Naaman was 2005, when 20 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Naaman is about 35 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Naaman a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Naaman in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.