Neff
A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "precious" or "valuable".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Neff. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Neff today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Neff births was 1921 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Neff. 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 Neff. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1921
6 babies that year
Average age
-
1921 SSA rank
#4,191
Tracked since 1921
Popularity
Neff: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Neff 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 Neff during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Neff
The given name Neff is derived from the Hebrew name Nephesh, which means "soul" or "spirit." This name has its roots in ancient Jewish culture and can be traced back to the biblical era.
In the Bible, the word "nephesh" appears numerous times, particularly in the Old Testament. It is often used to refer to the spiritual essence or inner being of a person. The name Neff, therefore, carries a deep significance in its association with the soul and the spiritual realm.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Neff dates back to the 13th century. In the year 1265, a Jewish scholar named Neff ben Yitzhak is mentioned in historical records from the city of Seville, Spain. This suggests that the name was in use among Jewish communities during the Middle Ages.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Neff. One such person was Neff Agnolio (1522-1592), an Italian painter and architect who worked extensively in Rome during the Renaissance period. His contributions to the design and decoration of churches and palaces in the city earned him a respected reputation.
Another prominent figure was Neff Kondratiev (1892-1938), a Russian economist and author who developed the theory of long-term economic cycles, now known as the "Kondratiev waves." His work heavily influenced the field of economics in the early 20th century.
In the realm of literature, Neff Bashir (1934-2008) was a renowned Lebanese poet and novelist. His poetic works, which explored themes of love, loss, and identity, earned him numerous accolades and a devoted following throughout the Arab world.
Neff Grady (1880-1965), an American baseball player, also left his mark in history. He played as a catcher for several Major League Baseball teams, including the Philadelphia Phillies and the Boston Braves, during the early 1900s.
Lastly, Neff Chavin (1915-1990) was a notable French fashion designer whose innovative designs and use of bold colors and patterns revolutionized the fashion industry in the latter half of the 20th century.
These individuals, spanning various eras and fields, have carried the name Neff and contributed to its rich history and significance.
People
Neff + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Neff 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
Neff: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Neff?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Neff 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 Neff a common name?
We classify Neff 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, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Neff most popular?
The single biggest year for Neff was 1921, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Neff 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 Neff in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Neff a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Neff 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 Neff still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Neff 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 Neff 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 Americans are named Neff?
See how many people share the name Neff on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.