Naftuli
Of Hebrew origin, meaning "my struggle with God".
Name Census estimates that about 633 living Americans carry the first name Naftuli. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Naftuli today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Naftuli births was 2005 (46 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Naftuli. 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
633
~ 1 in 541,476 Americans
Peak year
2005
46 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,027
Tracked since 1991
Popularity
Naftuli: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Naftuli from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 249 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Naftuli remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Naftuli 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 Naftuli during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Naftulis live
Origin
Meaning and history of Naftuli
The name Naftuli has its origins in the Jewish culture and can be traced back to the Hebrew language. It is a variant spelling of the name Naphtali, which is derived from the biblical figure of the same name, who was one of the sons of Jacob and the founder of one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
The name Naphtali is believed to have originated from the Hebrew word "naftul," meaning "wrestling" or "struggle," reflecting the struggle between Jacob and his wife Rachel, who had difficulty conceiving Naphtali. The name Naftuli is a diminutive form of Naphtali, often used as a term of endearment or affection.
In the Bible, the name Naphtali is mentioned several times, particularly in the Book of Genesis and the Book of Numbers, where the tribe of Naphtali is listed among the twelve tribes of Israel. The name also appears in various ancient Jewish texts, such as the Talmud and the Midrash, where it is associated with wisdom, courage, and strength.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Naftuli can be found in the writings of the medieval Jewish philosopher and scholar, Rashi (1040-1105 CE), who used the name in his commentaries on the Torah. Another prominent figure bearing the name was Naftuli Hertz Wessely (1725-1805), a Hebrew writer and philosopher who played a significant role in the Jewish Enlightenment movement known as the Haskalah.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Naftuli. These include:
1. Naftuli Zvi Yehuda Berlin (1816-1893), a renowned Russian-Lithuanian rabbi and Talmudic scholar.
2. Naftuli Hirsch Katzenelenbögen (1668-1756), a German rabbi and author of the influential work "Birkat HaTorah."
3. Naftuli Zvi Margolies (1781-1844), a Polish-Lithuanian rabbi and author of the influential work "Shas Vilna."
4. Naftuli Zvi Yehuda Weissmandl (1914-1957), a Holocaust survivor and prominent figure in the Rescue Committee in Slovakia during World War II.
5. Naftuli Hertz Levine (1887-1961), a Ukrainian-born American rabbi and author of numerous works on Jewish law and ethics.
While the name Naftuli may not be as common in modern times, it still holds significant cultural and historical significance within the Jewish community, serving as a reminder of the rich heritage and traditions associated with this ancient name.
People
Naftuli + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Naftuli 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
Naftuli: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Naftuli?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 633 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Naftuli 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 541,476 US residents.
Is Naftuli a common name?
We classify Naftuli as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 639 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Naftuli most popular?
The single biggest year for Naftuli was 2005, when 46 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Naftuli is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Naftuli a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Naftuli 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.