Neithen
An obscure masculine name of uncertain origin and meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Neithen. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Neithen today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Neithen births was 2012 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Neithen. 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 Neithen. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
2012
5 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2014 SSA rank
#13,446
Tracked since 2012
Popularity
Neithen: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Neithen 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 Neithen during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 10 | 0 | 10 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Neithen
The given name Neithen is believed to have originated from the ancient Welsh language, with its roots traced back to the 5th or 6th century AD. It is derived from the Welsh word "neitho," which means "to shine" or "to glisten." This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon individuals who possessed a radiant or luminous quality, either in their physical appearance or their personality.
In the early medieval period, the name Neithen was primarily found in the regions of Wales and the surrounding Celtic territories. It gained popularity among the Welsh nobility and aristocracy, who often chose names with strong historical and cultural ties. However, there are no definitive records of the name appearing in ancient texts or religious scriptures from that era.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Neithen dates back to the 9th century AD, when it was mentioned in the genealogical records of the Kingdom of Gwynedd, one of the principal Welsh kingdoms of the time. One notable bearer of the name was Neithen ap Cadwgan, a Welsh prince who lived in the 11th century and played a significant role in the conflicts between the Welsh kingdoms and the Norman invaders.
Another prominent figure in history bearing the name Neithen was Neithen Fychan, a 14th-century Welsh politician and landowner. He served as a member of the Council of Wales during the reign of King Edward III and was influential in shaping the policies and governance of Wales during that period.
In the 16th century, Neithen ap Rhys, a Welsh scholar and poet, gained recognition for his contributions to the preservation of the Welsh language and literature. He was a renowned bard and played a crucial role in the development of the Welsh literary tradition.
During the 17th century, Neithen Griffith, a Welsh theologian and philosopher, made significant contributions to the field of religious studies. He authored several influential works exploring the intersection of faith and reason, and his teachings were widely respected among scholars of the time.
Lastly, in the 19th century, Neithen Williams, a Welsh artist and painter, gained recognition for his vivid and intricate landscape paintings. His work captured the beauty and ruggedness of the Welsh countryside, and his paintings are now considered valuable cultural treasures.
While the name Neithen may have faded in popularity over the centuries, it remains a cherished part of Welsh heritage, carrying with it a rich history and cultural significance. Its meaning, "to shine" or "to glisten," serves as a reminder of the radiant qualities that were once highly valued among the Welsh people.
People
Neithen + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Neithen 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
Neithen: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Neithen?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Neithen 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Neithen a common name?
We classify Neithen as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Neithen most popular?
The single biggest year for Neithen was 2012, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Neithen is about 13 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 Neithen in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Neithen a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Neithen 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 Neithen still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Neithen 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 Neithen 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 Neithen?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans are named Neithen at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.