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Home › Baby Names Directory › Naoki

Naoki

♂ Boy

Pronounced nah-OH-kee /nɑˈo.ki/Medium

Meaning: From the Japanese — nao, 'honest; upright; straight', + ki, 'a tree', hence 'an honest/upright tree; straight and true'Low

In 30 seconds: Honest/upright tree; straight and true: Naoki is Japanese. Lyrical, classic, and warm (said 'nah-OH-kee').
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Origin LowJapanese
MeaningFrom the Japanese — nao, 'honest; upright; straight', + ki, 'a tree', hence 'an honest/upright tree; straight and true'
U.S. rank (2024)#9570 ↗ Rising
2024 U.S. births8 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2020
Total births (all-time)≈ 322

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202019802024

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

Naoki comes from the Japanese — nao, 'honest; upright; straight', + ki, 'a tree', hence 'an honest/upright tree; straight and true'. A lyrical, classic name (said 'nah-OH-kee').

In the U.S. it appears in Japanese families. Rare, an-upright-tree at the root, and lyrical.

Did you know? Naoki joins the Japanese nao ('honest; upright') and ki ('a tree'), hence 'an upright tree; straight and true' — a lyrical, classic name (said 'nah-OH-kee').
Overall data confidence 40%
References — Naoki — Japanese etymology

Variations

Naoky

Nicknames

Nao

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Naoki…

Haruki— a fellow -ki Japanese boys' name
Yuki— a sound-adjacent -ki Japanese name
Namiko— lands in the same popularity range
Akira— shares Naoki's Japanese roots
Imari— a fellow Japanese choice

Explore names like Naoki

By themejapanese
By meaningTruth

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Naoki mean?

Naoki is Japanese for 'an honest/upright tree; straight and true' (nao + ki).

How do you pronounce Naoki?

It's said nah-OH-kee /nɑˈo.ki/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Naoki a boy or girl name?

Naoki is a boy's name.

How popular is Naoki?

Naoki is a very rare name in the U.S.

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