Fun Facts About the Name Not
- 12 babies named Not: U.S. records list 12 babies given the name Not from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Not Mean?
Not is not a traditional personal name in English; it is the ordinary English negative adverb. Its source is Old English nāwiht (also written nōwiht), a compound of nā, "no," and wiht, "thing, creature, person." The literal sense was therefore "no thing" or "nothing." In Middle English the shortened form not, alongside nat, replaced the older simple negative particle ne as the usual way of negating a verb, while the fuller form survived as the noun naught (and nought) with the meaning "nothing." Because the word has no recorded life as a given name, no personal-name meaning can be established; the only meaning that can be given is the etymology of the English word itself.
Not Name History & Origins
The word not goes back to Old English nāwiht, a compound of the negative nā ("no") and wiht ("thing"). Reduced, unstressed forms such as nāht and nōht appear in late Old English, and by the Middle English period not and nat had become the standard negative adverb, used with verbs where Old English had relied on the particle or prefix ne. The longer form continued separately as the noun naught, meaning "nothing."
As a personal name, Not has no documented history. It does not belong to the traditional stock of English given names, and it has no recorded use in the way ordinary names do. Any modern appearance of it as a personal name would be an individual departure from the word's ordinary grammatical function rather than the continuation of an older naming tradition. It should not be confused with the unrelated Old Norse name Nótt ("night"), the name of a mythological figure, which comes from a different word and a different language.
How Popular is the Name Not?
Not 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 1998. Its best rank was #8,200 in 1998.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | #14,041 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1998 | #8,200 | 7 | 0.0004% |
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.
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with N
Unique Short Boy Names That Start with N
How the Name Not 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 are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Not's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Not's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.