Find out how popular the first name Neriah has been for the last 30 years (from 1994 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Neriah by gender

Based on the last 30 years of data, Neriah is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 98% of people named Neriah being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 257 female babies and 7 male babies born with the name Neriah.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 7 baby boys were named Neriah in 2023, despite it being a predominantly female name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Neriah

The name Neriah is believed to have its origins in the Hebrew language. It is a combination of two Hebrew words, "ner" meaning "lamp" or "light," and "Yah" which is a form of the Hebrew name for God, "Yahweh." The name Neriah can be translated to mean "light of God" or "lamp of the Lord."

This name has biblical connections and is mentioned in the Book of Jeremiah in the Old Testament. Neriah was the name of the father of Baruch, who was a scribe and a companion of the prophet Jeremiah. The name is referenced in Jeremiah 32:12, "And I gave the deed of purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle's son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the deed of purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the guard."

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Neriah was a 12th-century French rabbi and scholar, known as Neriah ben Melech. He was a prominent figure in the Jewish community of Narbonne, France, and was renowned for his expertise in Talmudic studies.

In the 16th century, there was a notable Jewish scholar and kabbalist named Neriah Mizrahi, who lived in Safed, in the Galilee region of present-day Israel. He was a disciple of the famous kabbalist, Rabbi Isaac Luria, and was known for his contributions to the study of Jewish mysticism.

Another historical figure with the name Neriah was Neriah ben Yaakov, a 17th-century rabbi and scholar from Amsterdam. He was a respected authority on Jewish law and is known for his work, "Shevet Mussar," which was a commentary on the Talmudic tractate of Bava Kamma.

In more recent times, there was an Israeli painter and sculptor named Neriah Zinger, who was born in 1929 and passed away in 2017. He was known for his abstract expressionist paintings and his contributions to the Israeli art scene in the latter half of the 20th century.

Another notable individual with the name Neriah was Neriah Gurevitch, who was born in 1926 and passed away in 2005. He was an Israeli physicist and professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, known for his work in the field of nuclear physics and his contributions to the development of nuclear energy in Israel.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Neriah was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Neriah, please contact us.

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