Naisean
A masculine name of uncertain origin, possibly Irish or Scottish Gaelic.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Naisean. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Naisean today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Naisean births was 2011 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Naisean. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Naisean. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2011
5 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2011 SSA rank
#13,716
Tracked since 2011
Popularity
Naisean: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Naisean 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 Naisean during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Naisean
The name Naisean is a variant spelling of the Irish name Naoise, which has its origins in the ancient Gaelic language. It is derived from the old Irish word "noe" meaning "famous" or "renowned." This name has been recorded in use since the 6th century AD, appearing in early Irish texts and manuscripts.
Naisean was a popular name among the ancient Celts of Ireland and Scotland. One of the earliest historical references to this name can be found in the medieval Irish legend of the tragic tale of Deirdre of the Sorrows, where Naoise is the name of one of the central characters. This epic tale dates back to the 8th century AD.
In the 12th century, a renowned warrior and chieftain named Naisean Ó Briain (1062-1119) was recorded in the Annals of Inisfallen, an ancient chronicle of medieval Irish history. He was known for his bravery and leadership in battles against the Normans.
Another notable figure with this name was Naisean Mac Lochlainn (1072-1121), a powerful King of Cenél nEógain and High King of Ireland in the late 11th and early 12th centuries. He was renowned for his military campaigns and efforts to unite the Irish kingdoms.
In the 16th century, Naisean Ó Domhnaill (1516-1567) was a prominent Irish lord and chieftain of the Ó Domhnaill dynasty in Ulster. He played a significant role in the ongoing conflicts between the Irish clans and the English forces during the Tudor conquest of Ireland.
A more recent historical figure with this name was Naisean Ó Cuinn (1832-1900), an Irish language scholar, lexicographer, and writer who made significant contributions to the preservation and promotion of the Irish language and culture in the late 19th century.
While the name Naisean has its roots in ancient Irish culture, it has been adopted and used in various spellings across different regions and languages over the centuries, reflecting the rich diversity and interconnectedness of cultures across time and space.
People
Naisean + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Naisean 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
Naisean: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Naisean?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Naisean 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Naisean a common name?
We classify Naisean as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Naisean most popular?
The single biggest year for Naisean was 2011, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Naisean is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Naisean in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Naisean a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Naisean 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.
Is Naisean still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Naisean in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Naisean can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Naisean?
See how many Americans are named Naisean on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.