Neftali is a Hebrew name that originated in ancient Israel, likely during the time of the Old Testament. It is derived from the Hebrew word "nephtoah," which means "open" or "unlocked." The name is believed to have been inspired by the biblical figure Naphtali, one of the twelve sons of Jacob and the progenitor of the Tribe of Naphtali mentioned in the Book of Genesis.

In the Bible, Naphtali is described as a "hind let loose," which may have contributed to the interpretation of the name as meaning "one who struggles" or "one who wrestles." This could be a reference to Jacob's wrestling with an angel, as recounted in the Book of Genesis.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Neftali is in the Book of Numbers, where it is used to refer to the Tribe of Naphtali. The name also appears in various Hebrew texts and historical records from ancient Israel.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Neftali. One of the most famous was Neftali Bennaim (1656-1730), a prominent Sephardic rabbi and scholar who lived in Ottoman Palestine and wrote extensively on Jewish law and philosophy.

Another notable Neftali was Neftali Salvanés (1675-1765), a Spanish-Jewish physician and author who wrote on medical and scientific topics, as well as Jewish history and culture.

In the 19th century, Neftali Hirsh Levin (1825-1905) was a prominent Russian-Jewish scholar and writer who made significant contributions to the study of Hebrew literature and Jewish history.

More recently, Neftali Reyes (1892-1962) was a Nicaraguan poet and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for his country in the 1940s.

Perhaps the most famous bearer of the name Neftali in modern times was the Chilean poet and diplomat Neftali Ricardo Reyes, better known by his pen name Pablo Neruda (1904-1973). Neruda was a celebrated poet, writer, and political activist who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971.