Fun Facts About the Name Neko
- More than 1 thousand babies named Neko: U.S. records list 1,248 babies given the name Neko from 1880 through 2025. Even 247 girls received the name Neko - about 1 girl for every 4 boys.
What Does the Name Neko Mean?
Neko is the Japanese word for "cat," written 猫. The kanji is a Chinese character formed from the "beast" radical 犭 with 苗 as a phonetic element; in Mandarin the character is read māo. The Japanese word neko itself is native to Japanese rather than borrowed from Chinese, and its internal derivation is not settled. The explanation most often repeated treats it as ne (寝, "sleep") plus ko (子, "child"), giving "sleeping child"; a second suggestion treats it as sound-imitative, from the noise a cat makes. Neither has been demonstrated. Used as a personal name, Neko keeps the plain sense "cat."
Neko Name History & Origins
Cats reached Japan from the Asian mainland by way of the Korean peninsula, and Heian-period literature mentions them; the word neko is attested in writing from that era, appearing in a scene in The Tale of Genji in which a cat slips out and draws back a curtain. For most of its history the word has been an everyday noun rather than a personal name. Japanese given names are normally written with characters chosen for favorable meanings, and 猫 ("cat") is not a conventional element in them, so Neko has no established tradition as a Japanese first name.
In the English-speaking world, Neko appears occasionally as a given name, usually for girls, taken directly from the Japanese noun; the American singer Neko Case (born 1970) is a well-known bearer. The word also travels in compounds - the maneki-neko, the beckoning cat figurine placed at shop entrances, and the nekomata, a cat spirit in Japanese folklore. The identically spelled Slavic word neko, meaning "someone" in Serbian, Croatian, and Bosnian, is a separate word with no connection to the Japanese one.
How Popular is the Name Neko?
Neko has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2021. Its best rank was #2,453 in 2021.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | #16,932 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2023 | #11,883 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2021 | #11,879 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2020 | #14,624 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2019 | #9,567 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2018 | #12,180 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2017 | #12,430 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2016 | #8,733 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2015 | #9,960 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2014 | #8,373 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2013 | #10,061 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2012 | #11,029 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2011 | #9,568 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2010 | #7,137 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2009 | #6,999 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2008 | #10,595 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2007 | #11,407 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2006 | #12,142 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #18,392 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #15,530 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1980 | #9,950 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1976 | #5,897 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1974 | #9,735 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1973 | #9,328 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1972 | #7,930 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1970 | #7,691 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1968 | #6,774 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,424 | 34 | 0.0020% |
| 2024 | #4,028 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 2023 | #3,527 | 33 | 0.0019% |
| 2022 | #3,196 | 38 | 0.0022% |
| 2021 | #2,453 | 55 | 0.0031% |
| 2020 | #3,183 | 36 | 0.0021% |
| 2019 | #4,072 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2018 | #4,077 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2017 | #3,562 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 2016 | #3,581 | 31 | 0.0016% |
| 2015 | #3,655 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 2014 | #3,351 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 2013 | #2,983 | 38 | 0.0020% |
| 2012 | #2,541 | 49 | 0.0026% |
| 2011 | #3,758 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2010 | #3,221 | 35 | 0.0018% |
| 2009 | #3,088 | 38 | 0.0019% |
| 2008 | #3,803 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 2007 | #3,226 | 35 | 0.0017% |
| 2006 | #4,460 | 21 | 0.0010% |
| 2005 | #5,206 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2004 | #4,217 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2003 | #4,381 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2002 | #3,239 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 2001 | #4,832 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2000 | #3,607 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 1999 | #5,242 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #3,961 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1997 | #4,866 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1996 | #6,930 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1995 | #4,440 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1994 | #4,226 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1993 | #4,385 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1992 | #2,514 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 1991 | #3,193 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1990 | #3,415 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1989 | #4,204 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1988 | #2,824 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1981 | #6,014 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1969 | #4,824 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Neko Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have a vivid imagination who can bring inspired messages to the world. You like to enjoy the pleasures of life, and when self is overcome, you can rise to the heights. You have an ability to avoid trouble - that is why you often fails to learn from experiences. You are restless, sociable people-oriented, a lover of change, and a seeker of adventure and new thrills. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Neko's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Neko's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.