Neutral names starting with N

An alphabetical list of neutral names starting with N, continued from the names page, which see for more information. These are neutral-gender names, otherwise known as unisex names. They are equally appropriate for girls, boys, and people of any gender. Nonbinary people don't have to have neutral names, and many notable nonbinary people have names that are usually either masculine or feminine. Neutral names can help make it safer for people to explore their gender expressions. In English-speaking countries, some of the most familiar gender-neutral names starting with N include Nat and Noel. However, there are many more unisex names from around the world that start with N, more than 17 of them, as listed below. Previous page: neutral names starting with M. Next page: neutral names starting with O.

The list
Nagisa (なぎさ). Japanese. Meaning "Water's edge" (汀), "Long ago" (夙), "Beach" (渚), or other meanings depending on the kanji spelling chosen. The choice of kanji can influence whether it's seen as a feminine, masculine, or neutral name. 渚 is a neutral spelling. In the USA, only about 60 people have had this name. Keywords: places, three syllables, water

Nao (なお). Japanese. In Japan, this can be short for the Japanese neutral name Naomi, feminine name Naoko, or the masculine names Naoto or Naoya. The meaning depends on which kanji characters with similar pronunciations are chosen to write it. One meaning that one can choose is "Straight" (直 nao). One can construct other meanings from other kanji combinations to best suit one's personality. United States Social Security Administration (SSA) data shows about 93 people with this name, used as a feminine name 87% of the time. Keywords: one syllable, two syllables

Naomi 1. (なおみ). Japanese. This name is gender neutral in Japan. Meaning depends on which kanji characters with similar pronunciations are chosen to write it. A more feminine meaning that one can choose is "Straight" (直 nao) and "Beautiful" (美 mi). A more masculine meaning that one can choose is "Straight" (直 nao) and "Self" (己 mi). One can construct other meanings from other kanji combinations to best suit one's personality. 2. (נָעֳמִי). Hebrew. Feminine. A Biblical name. Meaning "Pleasantness." Most of the Western world uses the feminine Hebrew version of this name, so it is generally not gender neutral outside of Japan. US SSA data shows about 99,175 people with this name, used as a feminine name 100% of the time. Keywords: feminine inclined, three syllables

Naphtali (נַפְתָלִי). Hebrew. Meaning "My struggle, my strife." A name of some men in the Bible. Traditionally masculine. US SSA data shows about 243 people with this name, used as a masculine name 67% of the time. Keywords: battle, Biblical, gothic, neutral inclined, three syllables, very rare Nat. English. Short form of Nathan, Natalie, or other names beginning with Nat. Keywords: one syllable. Notable nonbinary people with this name include activist Nat Titman.

Natividad. Spanish. Meaning "Nativity." US SSA data shows about 2,300 people with this name, used as a feminine name 53% of the time, meaning it is very neutral. Keywords: Christian, four syllables, neutral inclined, uncommon

Nature. English. Modern. Meaning "The inherent character or basic constitution of a person or thing," or "The external world" in English. US SSA data shows about 260 people with this name, used as a feminine name 81% of the time. Keywords: feminine inclined, modern, nature, two syllables, very rare

Naveen. Indian. A traditionally masculine variant transcription of the masculine Indian name Navin. Meaning "New" in Sanskrit. US SSA data shows about 1,044 people with this name, used as a masculine name 79% of the time. Keywords: two syllables, uncommon

Nevada. American English. From the name of the US State. Meaning "Snow-capped" in Spanish. Nevada enjoyed some popularity as a feminine name during the 1880s. US SSA data shows about 2,267 people with this name, used as a feminine name 80% of the time. Keywords: earth, mountains, three syllables, travel, uncommon, Victorian era, winter

Nicky. English. Short form of Nicholas or Nicole, which ultimately derive from the Greek name Nikolaos, meaning "victory of the people". US SSA data shows about 7,892 people named Nicky, used as a masculine name 79% of the time, which is fairly gender neutral. However, the variant Nicki is almost exclusively feminine: of about 5,850 people named Nicki in the SSA data, it was used as a feminine name 96% of the time. Keywords: battle, two syllables, uncommon. Notable nonbinary people with this name include game developer Nicky Case.

Nicola or Nikola. English, German, and Italian. A form of Nicholas. In English and German, Nicola is feminine, but in Italian, it is masculine. Short form: Nico or Nick. The English masculine name Nicholas comes from the Greek masculine name Nikolaos (Νικόλαος), meaning "Victory of the people." A saint name. US SSA data shows about 6,737 people named Nicola, used as a feminine name 67% of the time. For the variant Nikola, SSA data shows about 2,352 people named Nikola, used as a masculine name 77% of the time. Keywords: auspicious, battle, three syllables, uncommon

Nike (Νίκη). Greek. Meaning "Victory" in ancient Greek. Nike was the Greek goddess of victory. The ancient Greek pronunciation of this name was "nee-keh." The sports brand Nike has popularized the pronunciation "nigh-kee." US SSA data shows about 205 people with this name, used as a masculine name 50% of the time, making this a very gender neutral name. Keywords: auspicious, battle, neutral inclined, two syllables, very rare

Nikita. This name is masculine in some cultures, and feminine in others. 1. (Никита). Russian. Masculine. A form of the Greek name Niketas (Νικήτας). Meaning "Winner, victor." Niketas is a saint name. In Russian, the short form of Nikita is Nika. 2. (Нікіта). Ukranian and Belarusian. Masculine. A form of Niketas. 3. (निकिता). Indian (Marathi and Hindi). Feminine. Meaning "House, habitation" in Sanskrit. US SSA data shows about 11,964 people with this name, used as a feminine name 84% of the time. Keywords: common, feminine inclined, three syllables

Noa. This name is masculine in some cultures, and feminine in others. 1. (נוֹעָה). Hebrew. A masculine form of the Biblical Hebrew masculine name Noach (נֹחַ), usually transliterated into English as Noah, who built the ark; meaning "Rest, repose." The spelling Noa is modern in English, but is often used in Croatian, Dutch, French, Hawaiian, Portuguese, and Spanish. Interestingly, another Biblical Hebrew feminine name is usually transliterated into English as Noah, but is spelled differently from the masculine name in Hebrew. No'ah (נֹעָה), meaning "Motion," was the name of a woman in the Hebrew Bible. 2. Japanese. This name is gender neutral in Japan. Meaning depends on which kanji characters with similar pronunciations are chosen to write it. One meaning that one can choose is "Of affection" (乃愛). One can construct other meanings from other kanji combinations to best suit one's personality. US SSA data shows about 4,069 people with this name, used as a feminine name 74% of the time. Keywords: Biblical, two syllables, uncommon

Noam (נוֹעַם). Hebrew. Meaning "Pleasantness." In Israel, about 1,505 people use this as a masculine name, and about 372 people use this as a feminine name. US SSA data shows about 1,739 people with this name, used as a masculine name 89% of the time. Keywords: masculine inclined, uncommon

Noel. English. An English neutral form of the French masculine name "Noël" meaning "Christmas" in French. The US is one of the only countries where Noel is neutral. SSA data shows about 46,230 people named Noel, used as a masculine name 75% of the time. However, the variant spelling Noelle is pretty exclusively feminine at this time, even in the US: SSA data shows 27,237 people named Noelle, used as a feminine name 100% of the time. Keywords: Christian, common, light-hearted, two syllables, winter. Notable nonbinary people with this name include animator/cartoonist Noelle Stevenson.

Noor. 1. (نور). Arabic and Urdu. Noor is a gender-neutral alternative transcription of the gender-neutral name Nur. Meaning "light" in Arabic. In Islam, al-Nur ("the light") is one of the names of Allah. 2. Dutch and Limburgish. A feminine short form of the feminine name Eleonora, which ultimately comes from the ancient Germanic feminine name Aenor, the meaning of which is unknown. US SSA data shows about 4,901 people named Noor, used as a feminine name 89% of the time. US SSA data shows about 395 people named Nur, used as a feminine name 74% of the time. Keywords: feminine inclined, light, one syllable, uncommon.

Nuri (نوري). Arabic. Meaning "My light" in Arabic. US SSA data shows about 384 people with this name, used as a masculine name 55% of the time, meaning that even though this name is traditionally masculine, it is currently very gender neutral. Keywords: neutral inclined, two syllables, very rare.