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Home › Baby Names Directory › Naja

Naja

♀ Girl

Pronounced NAH-yuh /ˈnɑːjə/Medium

Meaning: Naja has more than one home: in Arabic it connects to najah, 'success, salvation'; in Greenland and Denmark, Naja is an established girl's name from Greenlandic literature. The routes are distinct, and pronunciation follows the tradition intended.Low

In 30 seconds: Naja (NAH-yuh) reads as Arabic 'najah', success, or as a Greenlandic-Scandinavian girls' name — the route varies, which we note.
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Origin LowArabic, Greenlandic
MeaningNaja has more than one home: in Arabic it connects to najah, 'success, salvation'; in Greenland and Denmark, Naja is an established girl's name from Greenlandic literature. The routes are distinct, and pronunciation follows the tradition intended.
U.S. rank (2023)#13052 ↘ Falling
2023 U.S. births7 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1998
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,275

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199819642023

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

Naja spans traditions. In Arabic it is tied to najah, 'success' or 'salvation'; in Greenland and Denmark, Naja is a well-used girl's name, popularized by nineteenth-century Greenlandic writing. American use draws on the soft sound more than a single source, so the origin is best given as varied.

A girl named Naja at its 1998 high is now in her twenties. It reads modern and international rather than vintage, and remains uncommon. Pronunciation is the key practical note: the Scandinavian reading is NAH-yuh while an Arabic reading leans NAH-jah, so a family settles which they mean.

Did you know? Naja peaked in 1998 as a short, soft, cross-cultural girls' name, drawing on both an Arabic word for success and a Nordic literary name.
Overall data confidence 45%
References — Naja — Arabic najah 'success'; also Greenlandic/Scandinavian name

Variations

NaiaNadjaNaya

Nicknames

NajNaya

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Naja…

Maya— a same-sound soft two-beat girls' name
Nadia— shares the gentle international feel
Anaya— another airy modern -aya name
Kaya— a like short cross-cultural girls' name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Naja mean?

Naja reads as Arabic najah, 'success', or as a Greenlandic and Scandinavian girls' name; the origin varies, which we note.

How do you pronounce Naja?

It's said NAH-yuh /ˈnɑːjə/ in its Scandinavian reading — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Naja a boy or girl name?

Naja is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Naja?

Naja was an uncommon name that peaked in the late nineties and remains rare.

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