Navajo
A Native American name meaning "the people" or "those who are sown".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Navajo. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Navajo today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Navajo births was 1891 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Navajo. 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 Navajo. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1891
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1891 SSA rank
#1,077
Tracked since 1891
Popularity
Navajo: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Navajo 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 Navajo during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1890s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Navajo
The name Navajo is derived from the Navajo language, a Southern Athabaskan language spoken primarily in the southwestern United States. The Navajo people, also known as the Diné, are a Native American tribe with a rich cultural heritage that can be traced back to the 16th century.
The origin of the name Navajo can be traced to the Spanish word "Navajó," which was used to refer to the Navajo people. This term is believed to have been derived from the Tewa word "Navahu," meaning "cultivated fields." The Tewa were a pueblo people who lived in the vicinity of the Navajo and had interactions with them.
The earliest recorded use of the name Navajo dates back to the 17th century. In 1629, the Spanish explorer Álvaro Núñez Cabeza de Vaca mentioned the "Nauajo" in his chronicles, describing them as a nomadic people living in the area that is now New Mexico and Arizona.
One of the most famous historical figures with the name Navajo is Manuelito (c. 1818-1893), a prominent Navajo leader and warrior who played a significant role in the Navajo Wars against the United States government in the 19th century. He was known for his bravery and resistance against the forced relocation of his people during the Long Walk of the Navajo.
Another notable Navajo figure is Hosteen Klah (c. 1867-1937), a renowned Navajo medicine man and spiritual leader. He was instrumental in preserving and passing down the traditional knowledge and beliefs of the Navajo people to subsequent generations.
In the realm of art and literature, Navajo author and poet Luci Tapahonso (born 1953) has gained recognition for her works that explore the Navajo culture, identity, and experiences. Her poetry collections, such as "Sáanii Dahataal: The Women Are Singing," have received critical acclaim and literary awards.
Jacoby Ellsbury (born 1983), a former Major League Baseball player, is a Navajo athlete who achieved success in professional sports. He spent most of his career with the Boston Red Sox and was a member of their World Series championship teams in 2007 and 2013.
Another prominent figure is Peterson Zah (born 1937), a Navajo politician and activist who served as the president of the Navajo Nation from 1991 to 1995. He played a crucial role in advocating for the rights and self-determination of the Navajo people.
The name Navajo holds a rich cultural significance and historical legacy, deeply rooted in the traditions and experiences of the Navajo people. It serves as a testament to their enduring spirit and resilience throughout the centuries.
People
Navajo + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Navajo 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
Navajo: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Navajo?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Navajo 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 - US residents.
Is Navajo a common name?
We classify Navajo as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% 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 Navajo most popular?
The single biggest year for Navajo was 1891, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Navajo is about 0 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 Navajo in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Navajo a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Navajo 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 Navajo still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Navajo 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 Navajo 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 called Navajo?
You can see how many people have the name Navajo on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.