Nio
A name potentially derived from the Latin word "nihil" meaning "nothing".
Name Census estimates that about 103 living Americans carry the first name Nio. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Nio today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nio births was 2021 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nio. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Nio with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
103
~ 1 in 3,327,712 Americans
Peak year
2021
17 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,355
Tracked since 2011
Popularity
Nio: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nio from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 65 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
Nio 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 Nio during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nios live
Origin
Meaning and history of Nio
The name Nio has its origins in the Japanese language and culture, tracing back to the late 19th century. It is believed to be derived from the Japanese word "nioui," which means "fragrance" or "aroma." The earliest records of the name can be found in historical texts from the Meiji period (1868-1912), when it was used as a given name for both males and females.
One of the earliest known figures to bear the name Nio was Nio Kazunari, a Japanese painter and calligrapher who lived from 1787 to 1859. He was renowned for his intricate brush work and his contributions to the Rinpa school of Japanese art.
Another notable individual with the name Nio was Nio Naoya, a Japanese military officer and politician who lived from 1865 to 1934. He served as the Minister of War in the early 20th century and played a significant role in the modernization of Japan's armed forces.
In the literary world, Nio Masaki was a prominent Japanese writer and poet who lived from 1919 to 2009. He was known for his lyrical works that explored themes of nature, love, and the human condition. His collection of poems, "Sakura no Ame" (Cherry Blossom Rain), is widely regarded as a masterpiece of modern Japanese poetry.
Moving into the realm of sports, Nio Toshihiko was a Japanese professional baseball player who played as an outfielder for the Yomiuri Giants and the Orix BlueWave. He was active from 1974 to 1990 and was known for his powerful hitting and exceptional fielding abilities.
Lastly, Nio Masaru was a Japanese martial artist and actor who lived from 1939 to 2018. He was a master of various Japanese martial arts, including karate, judo, and aikido. Nio gained fame for his roles in several popular Japanese action films, where he showcased his impressive fighting skills and screen presence.
While the name Nio has its roots in Japanese culture, it has gained popularity in other parts of the world as well, with people of various backgrounds adopting it as a unique and meaningful given name.
People
Nio + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nio 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
Nio: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nio?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 103 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nio 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 3,327,712 US residents.
Is Nio a common name?
We classify Nio as "Very Rare". It ranks above 65% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 104 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nio most popular?
The single biggest year for Nio was 2021, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nio is about 6 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 Nio in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nio a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nio 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 Nio still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nio 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 Nio 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 Nio?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.