Boy name · Hebrew
Noah
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: rest, reposeNoah is a boy's name that comes from Hebrew and means "rest, repose". It is used in English, Irish, French, German, Dutch and Scandinavian and more.
- Meaning
- Rest, repose
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #2 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Noah
As a boy's name, Noah comes from Hebrew and means "rest, repose". It is used in English, Irish, French, German, Dutch, Scandinavian and Hebrew.
In French, say noh-AH. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meaning checked against Behind the Name. How we research names
Noah on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Noah on 5 lists.
“Rest; Hebrew. Built the ark in Genesis”
From Biblical names, biblical names for boys
“Rest, repose; Hebrew. The ark builder”
From Classic boy names, classic biblical boy names
“Rest, comfort; Hebrew, the builder of the ark”
From Cute boy names, short and cute boy names
“Rest, repose; Hebrew. No. 2 in France in 2025. Say noh-AH”
From French boy names, popular French boys' names right now
“Rest, comfort; Hebrew. Germany's top boy name in 2025, per the GfdS”
From German boy names, popular German boy names
How popular is Noah?
- US rank in 2025
- #2
- 20,358 babies, 11,919 per million boys
- Best rank
- #1 in 2013
- Most babies: 20,409 in 2024
- Babies since 1880
- At least 529,602
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 817 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 601 per million |
| 1900s | 458 per million |
| 1910s | 260 per million |
| 1920s | 207 per million |
| 1930s | 152 per million |
| 1940s | 102 per million |
| 1950s | 72 per million |
| 1960s | 79 per million |
| 1970s | 344 per million |
| 1980s | 671 per million |
| 1990s | 2,889 per million |
| 2000s | 7,191 per million |
| 2010s | 9,753 per million |
| 2020s | 11,196 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1 | #2 | #2 | #2 | #2 | #2 | #2 | #2 | #2 | #2 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Noah
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- NoamPleasantness, delight (Hebrew, boy)
- NoorLight, radiance (Arabic, unisex)
- NoéRest, comfort (Hebrew, boy)
- NoelChristmas (Latin, boy)
- NolanFrom an Irish surname derived from nuall, famous, loud (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- NajahSuccess (Arabic, unisex)
- NaoHonest (depends on characters) (Japanese, unisex)
- NashFrom a surname meaning at the ash tree (Middle English, boy)
- NoyBeauty (Hebrew, unisex)
Names with a similar meaning
- MenuchaTranquility, rest (Hebrew, girl)
- NuhRest, comfort (Hebrew, boy)
- SimisolaRest in wealth (Yoruba, girl)
Middle names for Noah
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Hebrew
- AdamMan, humankind (Hebrew, boy)
- DavidBeloved one (Hebrew, boy)
- DanielGod is my judge (Hebrew, boy)
- EliasMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, boy)
- GabrielGod is my strength (Hebrew, boy)
- AxelMy father is peace (Hebrew, boy)
- BenjaminSon of the right hand (Hebrew, boy)
- IsaacHe will laugh (Hebrew, boy)
- JanGod is gracious (Hebrew, boy)
- JonathanYahweh has given (Hebrew, boy)
Noah: common questions
What does the name Noah mean?
Noah comes from Hebrew and means "rest, repose". Checked against Behind the Name.
Is Noah a boy or girl name?
Noah is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 468 girls and 20,358 boys in the US were named Noah, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Noah come from?
Noah comes from Hebrew and means "rest, repose". Today it is used in English, Irish, French, German, Dutch and Scandinavian.
How popular is the name Noah?
Noah ranked #2 in the US in 2025, with 20,358 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Noah?
Names spelled like Noah include Noam, Noor, Noé, Noel and Nolan.
What middle names go with Noah?
Middle names that flow well with Noah include Ansel, Atticus, Cedar, Ethan and Henry. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.