Naja
Primarily a girl's name of Arabic origin with 1,275 recorded births. Also given to 6 boys.
Meaning & Origin
A taxonomic genus within the family Elapidae – true cobras.
Naja is a girl's and boy's baby name of Arabic origin, from the Arabic najā meaning 'salvation, deliverance' or safe — a name that carries a powerful sense of divine protection and rescue.
Naja is also a Greenlandic Inuit name meaning 'younger sister' — used across Greenland as a traditional given name. The name's dual cultural resonance gives it both an Arabic spiritual weight and a distinctive Arctic heritage, with a crisp, two-syllable sound that is immediately memorable.
EtymologyShow more
The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Naja's final sounds are open, warm — a soft ending that crosses many language boundaries. In English-language naming, many feminine names end on open vowels or soft consonants, creating a melodic, approachable quality. Naja follows that feminine pattern.
Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Naja's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Naja has 52+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1964.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 23 | #12367 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 102 | #10733 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 369 | #4465 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 482 | #3227 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 205 | #4893 | ▲ |
| 1970s | 89 | #6125 | ▲ |
| 1960s | 5 | #7470 | — |
The Story of Naja
A Gen Z name
Peaking in 1998, Naja is a name that defines a generation. Girls named Naja are most likely born between 1988 and 2008.
How rare is Naja?
With 1,275 total births on record, Naja remains a rare and distinctive pick.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1964, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 1990s with 482 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Naja by the numbers
- Would fill 27 school buses
- Meeting one Naja per day would take 3.5 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(52 years, 1964–2023)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 7 | #13052 |
| 2022 | 9 | #10958 |
| 2021 | 7 | #13091 |
| 2019 | 9 | #11102 |
| 2018 | 5 | #17409 |
| 2016 | 12 | #9259 |
| 2015 | 9 | #11568 |
| 2014 | 9 | #11660 |
| 2013 | 11 | #10049 |
| 2012 | 9 | #11947 |
| 2011 | 19 | #6776 |
| 2010 | 19 | #6823 |
| 2009 | 14 | #8758 |
| 2008 | 22 | #6297 |
| 2007 | 27 | #5339 |
| 2006 | 34 | #4329 |
| 2005 | 38 | #3852 |
| 2004 | 35 | #4067 |
| 2003 | 48 | #3110 |
| 2002 | 38 | #3569 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Naja as a Boy's Name
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Naja has also been given to 6 boys in the U.S. since 2005.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Naja a boy's or girl's name?
When was Naja most popular?
How popular is the name Naja?
Can Naja be used for both boys and girls?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1964–2023