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Home › Baby Names Directory › Nahshon

Nahshon

♂ Boy

Pronounced NAH-shon /ˈnɑː.ʃɒn/Medium

Meaning: From the Hebrew Nachshon, usually connected to nachash ('serpent'; also 'to divine') and glossed 'enchanter' or 'diviner'. In the Torah he is the prince of the tribe of Judah, and in rabbinic tradition the first to walk into the Red Sea before it parted — so the name has come to stand for courageous initiative. In modern Hebrew 'nachshon' means a bold pioneer.Medium

In 30 seconds: Nahshon is Hebrew for 'enchanter' (said 'NAH-shon') — the prince of Judah who, tradition says, stepped into the Red Sea first.
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Origin MediumHebrew
MeaningFrom the Hebrew Nachshon, usually connected to nachash ('serpent'; also 'to divine') and glossed 'enchanter' or 'diviner'. In the Torah he is the prince of the tribe of Judah, and in rabbinic tradition the first to walk into the Red Sea before it parted — so the name has come to stand for courageous initiative. In modern Hebrew 'nachshon' means a bold pioneer.
U.S. rank (2024)#13569 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1998
Total births (all-time)≈ 692

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200519722024

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Nahshon comes from the Hebrew Nachshon, tied to a root for divining and usually read 'enchanter'. He appears in the Torah as prince of the tribe of Judah and an ancestor of King David, and the midrash remembers him as the man who stepped into the Red Sea while everyone else hesitated. That story turned his name into a byword for bold first steps, and it is well used in Israel today (said 'NAH-shon').

In the U.S. it appears only rarely. Rare, biblical, and quietly heroic.

Did you know? In Jewish tradition Nahshon is the one who walked into the sea before it parted — which is why 'nachshon' has become a Hebrew word for someone who goes first, into the unknown, without waiting for proof (said 'NAH-shon').
Overall data confidence 60%
References — Nahshon — Hebrew Nachshon; Numbers 1:7; midrashic Red Sea tradition

Variations

NachshonNaashonNashon

Nicknames

NashShon

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If you like Nahshon…

Nash— the short form Nahshon naturally yields
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Amos— another Hebrew biblical name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Nahshon mean?

Nahshon is Hebrew, usually read 'enchanter; diviner'. In tradition he is the prince of Judah who first entered the Red Sea.

How do you pronounce Nahshon?

It's said NAH-shon /ˈnɑː.ʃɒn/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Nahshon a boy or girl name?

Nahshon is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Nahshon?

Nahshon is a rare name for boys in the U.S.

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