Nahshon
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "divinator" or "sorcerer".
Name Census estimates that about 676 living Americans carry the first name Nahshon. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Nahshon today is around 26 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nahshon births was 1998 (25 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nahshon. 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
676
~ 1 in 507,033 Americans
Peak year
1998
25 babies that year
Average age
26
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,569
Tracked since 1972
Popularity
Nahshon: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nahshon from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 212 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
Nahshon 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 Nahshon during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nahshons live
Origin
Meaning and history of Nahshon
The name Nahshon is of Hebrew origin, derived from the root words "nahash" meaning serpent or bronze, and "on" meaning strength or power. It is believed to have originated during the biblical era, around the time of the Exodus from Egypt, approximately 1300 BCE.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nahshon can be found in the Book of Numbers in the Hebrew Bible, where Nahshon is mentioned as the leader of the tribe of Judah during the Israelites' journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. He was also one of the princes who brought offerings for the dedication of the Tabernacle.
In the Christian New Testament, the name Nahshon appears in the genealogy of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. This suggests that the name held significance in the early Christian community as well.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Nahshon. One of the earliest was Nahshon ben Aminadab (c. 1300 BCE), the prince of the tribe of Judah during the Exodus. Another prominent individual was Nahshon the Scribe, a Jewish scholar who lived in the 10th century CE and was known for his commentaries on the Talmud.
In more recent times, Nahshon Waxman (1912-1992) was an influential Israeli architect and urban planner who played a significant role in the development of modern Tel Aviv. Nahshon Dion (1957-2022) was a prominent Canadian First Nations actor and activist known for his work in promoting indigenous rights and cultural awareness.
Nahshon Rodrigues Batalha (born 1988) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who has competed in various MMA promotions, including the UFC. Nahshon Garrett (born 1984) is an American professional basketball player who has played in several European leagues and the NBA G League.
The name Nahshon has maintained its significance across different cultures and time periods, with its origins rooted in the ancient Hebrew language and biblical texts. While its popularity may have waxed and waned over the centuries, it continues to be used as a given name, carrying with it a rich historical and cultural heritage.
People
Nahshon + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nahshon 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
Nahshon: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nahshon?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 676 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nahshon 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 507,033 US residents.
Is Nahshon a common name?
We classify Nahshon as "Very Rare". It ranks above 87.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 692 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nahshon most popular?
The single biggest year for Nahshon was 1998, when 25 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nahshon is about 26 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Nahshon a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nahshon 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.