Naia
A feminine name of Hawaiian origin meaning beautiful, radiant.
Name Census estimates that about 2,070 living Americans carry the first name Naia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Naia today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Naia births was 2023 (141 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Naia. 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.
Key insights
- • Naia is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 13 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
2.1K
~ 1 in 165,582 Americans
Peak year
2023
141 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,855
Tracked since 1982
Popularity
Naia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Naia from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 825 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Naia remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Naia 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 Naia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Naias live
The SSA's state-level files cover 16 states and territories. California, Hawaii, New York recorded the most babies named Naia, while Utah, North Carolina, Georgia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 69 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Naia
The given name Naia has its origins in ancient Greek culture. It is derived from the Greek word "naias", which means "river nymph" or "water sprite". The name was commonly used in ancient Greece as a reference to minor female deities associated with rivers, streams, and other bodies of water.
In Greek mythology, the Naiads were a type of minor female deities known as nymphs who presided over rivers, streams, brooks, marshes, and other freshwater environments. They were often depicted as beautiful young maidens who were closely connected to the natural world and played an important role in various myths and legends.
The earliest recorded use of the name Naia can be traced back to ancient Greek texts and inscriptions from the 5th century BCE. One notable mention of the name is found in the works of the ancient Greek poet Pindar, who wrote about the Naiads in his odes and hymns.
Throughout history, the name Naia has been borne by several notable figures. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Naia of Miletus, a renowned Greek poet and musician who lived in the 6th century BCE. She was celebrated for her beautiful songs and was said to have been trained by the legendary poet Sappho.
Another historical figure with the name Naia was a Greek priestess who served at the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus during the 4th century BCE. She was highly respected for her devotion and wisdom, and her name was inscribed on several dedicatory offerings found at the temple site.
In the medieval period, a woman named Naia de Baux was a prominent figure in the court of the Count of Provence in the 12th century. She was known for her beauty, intelligence, and influence in the cultural and political affairs of the region.
During the Renaissance, a notable Italian artist named Naia Michelini was celebrated for her exquisite portraits and religious paintings. She lived and worked in Florence during the 16th century and was admired for her skill and artistic talent.
In more recent history, Naia Veneta was a renowned Italian opera singer who performed in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. She was renowned for her powerful voice and captivating stage presence, and was considered one of the greatest sopranos of her time.
People
Naia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Naia 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
Naia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Naia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,070 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Naia 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 165,582 US residents.
Is Naia a common name?
We classify Naia as "Rare". It ranks above 93.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,091 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Naia most popular?
The single biggest year for Naia was 2023, when 141 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Naia is about 13 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Naia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Naia in the SSA data are female. 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.