Baby Names Boy Names Noah Name Meaning Learn more about the meaning, origin, and popularity of the name Noah. By Simone Scully Published on May 7, 2024 Fact checked by Karen Cilli In This Article View All In This Article How Popular Is the Name Noah? Name Variations Similar Names Suggested Sibling Names Famous People Named Noah Close Noah is believed to come from the Hebrew name Noach, meaning "rest." It is also the name of a prominent biblical figure. In the Old Testament's book of Genesis, Noah was chosen by God as the only righteous man of his time. He was told to gather animals "two by two" from every species and build the Ark, which allowed him, his family, and the animals to survive the Great Flood meant to punish the world. After the flood, he received the sign of the rainbow as a covenant from God that the entire Earth would never again be destroyed by a flood. Origin: Noah comes from the Hebrew Noach, which means "rest" or "repose." It also comes from the Babylonian word nukhu, which means repose or rest. It is a biblical name from the Old Testament as well.Gender: In the US, Noah has traditionally been used as a boy's name. However, there is a feminine version of the name, Noa, which is also a biblical name (one of the Five Daughters of Zelophehad). It is a very popular name in Israel, Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands.Pronunciation: No-ah Editor's Note Although many baby names are separated by gender, Parents believes that sex does not need to play a role in your name selection process. It’s important to select a name that you feel suits your new baby the best. How Popular Is the Name Noah? Noah is an old name that has become extremely popular again. It began gaining popularity in the 1980s, reaching the top 100 baby names in 1995 and the top 15 in 2006. It was the No. 1 boy's baby name in the United States from 2013 to 2016, peaking in 2016 when 19,171 babies were named Noah—more than at any other time over the last 100 years. It dropped to second most popular in 2017 and has remained the second most popular name since. How To Choose a Name for Your Baby Name Variations As it is a biblical name, Noah has an equivalent in multiple languages, including: Noa (Croatian, French) Noé (French, Portuguese, Spanish) Nuh (Arabic/Turkish) Noach (Hebrew, Dutch) Nooa (Finnish) Noak (Swedish) Nojus (Lithuanian) Other variations include: Knoa (Hebrew) Nowa (Arabic) Nowah (Chinese) Nohwa (Australian) Noha (Arabic) Nawai (Hawaiian) Nowey (German) Noeh (Hebrew) The Top Baby Names Around the World Similar Names Other boy names from the Old Testament and Bible include: AaronAbrahamAdamCalebDanielDavidElijahEzraIssacIsaiahJoshuaSamuel Other boy names starting with "N" include: NashNathanNeilNiamNicholasNilesNolanNorman Suggested Sibling Names AidenCharlieEmmaEmilyEthanEvelynGabrielHannahHopeJacobJohnLeoMaxMaryMicahOliviaRachelRuthSarahZachary Famous People Named Noah One of the most famous American Noahs was Noah Webster, an American lexicographer born in 1758 who created the American Spelling Book in 1783 and America's first dictionary, the American Dictionary of the English Language in 1828. The name Noah is also associated with a number of actors, including Noah Wylie, Noah Centineo, Noah Taylor, and Noah Emmerich. Famous Noahs Noah Webster, American lexicographerNoah Wylie, American actor, best known for his role as Dr. John Carter on E.R.Noah Centineo, American actor, best known for his role in the Netflix movie To All the Boys I've Loved BeforeNoah Emmerich, American actor, best known for his role in the FX series The AmericansNoah Taylor, British-Australian actor best known for his role as Locke in the HBO series Game of ThronesNoah Schnapp, American actor best known for his role as Will Byers in the Netflix series Stranger ThingsNoah Jackson, retired American football player who played for 10 seasons with the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay BuccaneersNoah Syndergaard, American professional baseball pitcher for the New York MetsNoah Ringer, American actor and martial arts practitioner known for his role in The Last AirbenderNoah Hoffman, American Olympic cross country skier who competed in the 2014 and 2018 Winter OlympicsNoah Cyrus, American singer, actress, and daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus Famous fictional Noahs Noah Solloway, Fictional character in the Showtime series The AffairNoah Bennet, Fictional character in the NBC series HeroesNoah Joad, Fictional character in John Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of WrathNoah Calhoun, Fictional main character in the novel, The Notebook, by Nicholas Sparks 130 Baby Names Inspired by Fictional Characters Famous Noas Noa James, American rapper based in CaliforniaNoa Lindberg, American actress, producer, and authorNoa Netanyahu, daughter of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin NetanyahuNoa Tishby, Israeli actress, writer and model More Baby Names Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options: Top 1,000 Baby Boy Names Top Baby Names in Every State 58 Baby Names Inspired by Nature Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Parents uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Top 10 Baby Names of 2022. Social Security Administration. Top 5 Names in Each of the Last 100 Years. Social Security Administration.