Nakhi
A Turkish name denoting an ancient ethnic group in Yunnan, China.
Name Census estimates that about 164 living Americans carry the first name Nakhi. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Nakhi today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nakhi births was 2009 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nakhi. 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
164
~ 1 in 2,089,965 Americans
Peak year
2009
13 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2023 SSA rank
#11,813
Tracked since 1998
Popularity
Nakhi: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nakhi from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 67 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Nakhi remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nakhi 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 Nakhi during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nakhis live
Origin
Meaning and history of Nakhi
The given name Nakhi is believed to have originated from the Naxi ethnic group, an ancient matriarchal society found in the foothills of the Himalayas, primarily in the Yunnan province of southwestern China. The Naxi people have a rich cultural heritage dating back several centuries, and their language is a branch of the Tibeto-Burman family.
The etymology of Nakhi is not entirely clear, but it is thought to be derived from the Naxi language itself. Some scholars suggest that it may be related to the word "nakhee," which means "precious" or "valuable" in the Naxi language. Others believe it may be a variation of the word "nakhi," which refers to the Naxi people themselves.
Historically, the name Nakhi does not appear to have been widely recorded in ancient texts or religious scriptures outside of the Naxi community. However, within the Naxi culture, it has been a prominent name for both men and women for generations.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Nakhi was Nakhi Dongba, a famous Naxi priest and scholar who lived in the 14th century. Dongba played a crucial role in preserving the Naxi religious and cultural traditions through his writings and teachings.
Another notable figure bearing the name Nakhi was Nakhi Lamu, a renowned Naxi painter and musician who lived in the 19th century. Lamu's artworks and musical compositions were instrumental in preserving and promoting the Naxi cultural heritage.
In the 20th century, Nakhi Tshering Dolma was a prominent Naxi activist and advocate for the rights of her people. She played a significant role in raising awareness about the Naxi culture and traditions, both within China and internationally.
Nakhi Lhamu, born in 1935, was a celebrated Naxi singer and performer who helped to revive and popularize traditional Naxi music and dance forms. Her contributions earned her numerous accolades and recognition as a national treasure of China.
More recently, Nakhi Tshering Drolma, born in 1968, has gained recognition as a Naxi scholar and author. Her works have shed light on the rich history, folklore, and customs of the Naxi people, further contributing to the preservation of their cultural heritage.
While the name Nakhi may not be widely known outside of the Naxi community, it holds deep cultural significance and has been borne by notable individuals who have played crucial roles in preserving and promoting the unique traditions of this ancient matriarchal society.
People
Nakhi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nakhi 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
Nakhi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nakhi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 164 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nakhi 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 2,089,965 US residents.
Is Nakhi a common name?
We classify Nakhi as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 166 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nakhi most popular?
The single biggest year for Nakhi was 2009, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nakhi 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 Nakhi in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nakhi a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nakhi 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 Nakhi still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nakhi 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 Nakhi 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 are named Nakhi?
Find out how many people have the name Nakhi on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.