No
A refusal or denial of something requested.
Name Census estimates that about 18 living Americans carry the first name No. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 66.7% of registrations being female. The average person named No today is around 19 years old, and the year with the single highest number of No births was 2010 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for No. 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 No. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
18
~ 1 in 19,041,908 Americans
Peak year
2010
13 babies that year
Average age
19
years old
2010 SSA rank
#11,784
Tracked since 1998
Gender
Gender distribution for No
No is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 18 total registrations, 6 (33.3%) were male and 12 (66.7%) were female.
No as a male name
- Ranked #11,784 in 2010
- 6 male births in 2010
- Peak: 2010 (6 births)
No as a female name
- Ranked #14,571 in 2010
- 7 female births in 2010
- Peak: 2010 (7 births)
Popularity
No: popularity over time
The SSA tracks No from the 1990s through to the 2010s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 13 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
No 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 No during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nos live
Origin
Meaning and history of No
The given name No is believed to have originated from the ancient Sumerian language, which was spoken in the southern part of Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) around 3500-3000 BC. It is derived from the Sumerian word "nu," meaning "to speak" or "to utter." The name was likely given to children as a symbol of their ability to communicate and express themselves.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name No can be found in the Epic of Gilgamesh, an ancient Mesopotamian epic poem dating back to around 2100 BC. In this epic, there is a character named No-Erra, who is described as a wise and powerful king. This suggests that the name was already in use and held significance in ancient Sumerian culture.
During the reign of the Akkadian Empire (around 2350-2150 BC), the name No gained popularity among the ruling class. One notable figure from this period was No-Mutti, a high-ranking official and advisor to King Sargon of Akkad. His name, which means "the speaker of truth," reflects the importance placed on honesty and communication in Mesopotamian society.
In ancient Egyptian mythology, there is a reference to a deity named No, who was associated with the primordial waters and was believed to be the source of all creation. This suggests that the name may have been adopted and adapted by the Egyptians, perhaps as a symbol of fertility and life-giving forces.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name No. One example is No-Amon, an Egyptian prince who lived during the 18th Dynasty (around 1550-1292 BC). He was known for his military exploits and played a significant role in the expansion of Egyptian influence in the region.
Another notable figure was No-Intsu, a Japanese Buddhist monk who lived during the 8th century AD. He was renowned for his teachings and contributions to the spreading of Buddhism in Japan. His name, which means "the utterance of truth," reflects the importance of spiritual wisdom and enlightenment in Japanese culture.
In more recent times, there was No-Bunkei, a Japanese samurai warrior who lived during the late 12th and early 13th centuries. He was known for his bravery and skill in battle, and his name, which means "the speaker of courage," has become a symbol of honor and valor in Japanese culture.
While the name No may not be as common today, its historical significance and cultural roots in various ancient civilizations highlight the importance placed on communication, honesty, and the power of the spoken word across different societies and time periods.
People
No + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with No 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
No: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named No?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 18 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for No 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 19,041,908 US residents.
Is No a common name?
We classify No as "Very Rare". It ranks above 38.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 18 babies have been registered with this name.
When was No most popular?
The single biggest year for No was 2010, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living No is about 19 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 No in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is No a female name?
Yes, 66.7% of people registered as No in the SSA data are female. 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 No still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded No 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 No 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 No?
You can see how many people have the name No on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.