Naftali: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#2,379

among boys · ↓306 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Naftali · -21% vs 2024

How common

1 in 29,450

boys born in 2025

Peak year

2018

83 babies

All-time total

2,024

#3,277 all-time among boys

First recorded

1951

in Social Security records

Naftali popularity over time

2,024 babies have been named Naftali since 1951, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Boys	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–
1900s	–	–	–	–
1910s	–	–	–	–
1920s	–	–	–	–
1930s	–	–	–	–
1940s	–	–	–	–
1950s	28	3	–	#3,464
1960s	36	4	+29%	#2,793
1970s	124	12	+244%	#2,251
1980s	189	19	+52%	#2,195
1990s	253	25	+34%	#2,250
2000s	436	44	+72%	#1,937
2010s	550	55	+26%	#1,831
2020s (to 2025)	408	68	+24%	#2,024

Where Naftali is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 boys	Implied rank
2026	57	0.03	outside top 500
2027	57	0.03	outside top 500
2028	57	0.03	outside top 500
2029	56	0.03	outside top 500
2030	56	0.03	outside top 500

Where Naftali is most popular

Boys named Naftali per 1,000 boys born in each state, 2021–2025. National average: 0.039 per 1,000.

Vs national average

well below below near national above well above no data

All 50 states and DC, sorted by rate. Counts are boys named Naftali born 2021–2025; the per-1,000 rate makes states of different sizes comparable, and the last column shows each state against the national average.

State	Boys 2021–2025	Per 1,000	vs national
New Jersey	104	0.517	+1208%
New York	182	0.420	+965%
Alaska	–	–	–
Alabama	–	–	–
Arkansas	–	–	–
Arizona	–	–	–
California	–	–	–
Colorado	–	–	–
Connecticut	–	–	–
District of Columbia	–	–	–
Delaware	–	–	–
Florida	–	–	–
Georgia	–	–	–
Hawaii	–	–	–
Iowa	–	–	–
Idaho	–	–	–
Illinois	–	–	–
Indiana	–	–	–
Kansas	–	–	–
Kentucky	–	–	–
Louisiana	–	–	–
Massachusetts	–	–	–
Maryland	–	–	–
Maine	–	–	–
Michigan	–	–	–
Minnesota	–	–	–
Missouri	–	–	–
Mississippi	–	–	–
Montana	–	–	–
North Carolina	–	–	–
North Dakota	–	–	–
Nebraska	–	–	–
New Hampshire	–	–	–
New Mexico	–	–	–
Nevada	–	–	–
Ohio	–	–	–
Oklahoma	–	–	–
Oregon	–	–	–
Pennsylvania	–	–	–
Rhode Island	–	–	–
South Carolina	–	–	–
South Dakota	–	–	–
Tennessee	–	–	–
Texas	–	–	–
Utah	–	–	–
Virginia	–	–	–
Vermont	–	–	–
Washington	–	–	–
Wisconsin	–	–	–
West Virginia	–	–	–
Wyoming	–	–	–

State counts come from the Social Security Administration's state files, which omit any state-year with fewer than five babies of a name, so small states can undercount slightly.

The story of Naftali

Naftali is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,379 in 2025 with 58 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1951, 2,024 American babies have been named Naftali. Its peak came in 2018, when 83 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2010s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Naftali stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Naftali?

The median living Naftali is about 16 years old; half are between 7 and 29. An estimated 2,000 people named Naftali are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Naftali year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Boys	Boys rank
2025	58	#2,379
2024	73	#2,073
2023	75	#2,024
2022	74	#2,057
2021	61	#2,292
2020	67	#2,108
2019	68	#2,121
2018	83	#1,831
2017	49	#2,588
2016	52	#2,460
2015	59	#2,269
2014	59	#2,267
2013	46	#2,615
2012	57	#2,286
2011	37	#3,090
2010	40	#2,946
2009	64	#2,135
2008	55	#2,369
2007	45	#2,709
2006	70	#1,937
2005	66	#1,938
2004	27	#3,514
2003	35	#2,829
2002	23	#3,742
2001	21	#3,936
2000	30	#2,969
1995	16	#3,996
1990	26	#2,596
1985	20	#2,569
1980	24	#2,195
1975	15	#2,716
1970	12	#2,832
1965	–	–
1960	6	#3,934
1955	–	–
1950	–	–
1945	–	–
1940	–	–
1935	–	–
1930	–	–
1925	–	–
1920	–	–
1915	–	–
1910	–	–
1905	–	–
1900	–	–
1895	–	–
1890	–	–
1885	–	–
1880	–	–

Famous people named Naftali

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

1 Naftali Bennett Prime Minister of Israel from 2021 to 2022 b. 1972 · Contemporary
2 Naftali Herz Imber Jewish poet, writer of Israel's national anthem (1856–1909) 19th century
3 Naftali Temu Kenyan long-distance runner (1945–2003) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Naftali, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Naftali?

The median living Naftali is about 16 years old. Half of all living Naftalis are between 7 and 29 years old.

How many people named Naftali are alive today?

An estimated 2,000 people named Naftali are alive in the United States, based on 2,024 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Naftali in 2025?

Naftali ranked #2,379 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 58 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Naftali?

2,024 babies have been named Naftali in the United States since 1951, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Naftali most popular?

Naftali peaked in 2018, when 83 newborns received the name.

Is Naftali a boy or girl name?

Naftali is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Naftali rising or falling?

Naftali is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Naftali become more popular?

Naftali looks stable. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 56 boys named Naftali in 2030, ranking outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Naftali?

Well-known people named Naftali include Naftali Bennett (politician), Naftali Herz Imber (writer), Naftali Temu (athlete).

Names like Naftali

Names that sound and feel close to Naftali: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Naftali with similar names → More names starting with N →