Navi
A feminine name of Indian origin meaning "new" or "young".
Name Census estimates that about 1,769 living Americans carry the first name Navi. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 78.2% of registrations being female. The average person named Navi today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Navi births was 2023 (243 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Navi. 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
- • Navi is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 8 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.8K
~ 1 in 193,756 Americans
Peak year
2023
243 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,485
Tracked since 1999
Gender
Gender distribution for Navi
Navi is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 1,782 total registrations, 389 (21.8%) were male and 1,393 (78.2%) were female.
Navi as a male name
- Ranked #2,352 in 2024
- 60 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2023 (67 births)
Navi as a female name
- Ranked #1,485 in 2024
- 147 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2023 (176 births)
Popularity
Navi: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Navi from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 982 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Navi 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 Navi during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Navis live
The SSA's state-level files cover 22 states and territories. California, Texas, Florida recorded the most babies named Navi, while Arizona, Indiana, Mississippi recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 33 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Navi
The name Navi is derived from the Sanskrit word 'navi', meaning 'new' or 'fresh'. It is believed to have originated in ancient India, where it was used as a name for both boys and girls. The earliest recorded use of the name dates back to the 5th century BCE, when it appears in various Hindu scriptures and texts.
In the Mahabharata, one of the two major Sanskrit epics, there is a character named Navi who is described as a skilled archer and warrior. This suggests that the name may have been associated with strength and bravery in ancient Indian culture.
As Hinduism spread across the Indian subcontinent, the name Navi also gained popularity in various regional languages and cultures. In the Tamil language, for example, the name is spelled as 'Navi' and has a similar meaning of 'new' or 'fresh'.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Navi was Navi Shakti, a celebrated poet and scholar who lived in the 7th century CE. He is known for his works on grammar, philosophy, and literature, and is considered a pioneer in the field of Sanskrit linguistics.
Another notable figure with the name Navi was Navi Kalidas, a renowned playwright and poet who lived in the 4th century CE. He is credited with writing some of the greatest works of Sanskrit literature, including the play 'Abhijnanashakuntalam' and the epic poem 'Kumārasambhava'.
In the realm of spirituality and religion, the name Navi is associated with the 9th-century Hindu philosopher and saint, Navi Shankara. He is revered as one of the most influential figures in the Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy, and his teachings have had a lasting impact on the spiritual traditions of India.
Moving forward in time, the name Navi also appears in the historical records of the Mughal Empire in India. Navi Khan was a prominent military commander who served under the Mughal Emperor Akbar in the 16th century. He played a crucial role in several military campaigns and is remembered for his strategic acumen and leadership.
Another notable figure with the name Navi was Navi Pillay, a South African jurist and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Born in 1941, she was a pioneering figure in the fight against apartheid and has been a vocal advocate for human rights and social justice on the global stage.
Overall, the name Navi has a rich history and cultural significance, with roots that can be traced back to ancient India. Throughout the centuries, it has been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions in fields ranging from literature and philosophy to religion, politics, and human rights.
People
Navi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Navi 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
Navi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Navi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,769 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Navi 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 193,756 US residents.
Is Navi a common name?
We classify Navi as "Rare". It ranks above 93.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,782 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Navi most popular?
The single biggest year for Navi was 2023, when 243 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Navi is about 8 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Navi a female name?
Yes, 78.2% of people registered as Navi 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.