Navi

♂ Boy

Pronounced NAH-vee /ˈnɑː.vi/High

Meaning: Guide; navigator; from Sanskrit navi (ship, boat, navigator) or Hebrew navi (prophet, one who speaks for God); also the fairy guide in The Legend of ZeldaMedium

In 30 seconds: A name with multiple roots: Sanskrit (navigator/ship), Hebrew (prophet), and global fame as the fairy guide Navi in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998). Its two-syllable brightness works across multiple naming traditions.

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Origin MediumHebrew, Sanskrit

MeaningGuide; navigator; from Sanskrit navi (ship, boat, navigator) or Hebrew navi (prophet, one who speaks for God); also the fairy guide in The Legend of Zelda

U.S. rank (2025)#2102 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births70 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2025

Total births (all-time)≈ 459

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Navi has roots in multiple traditions: Sanskrit navi (ship, boat, one who guides at sea), Hebrew navi (prophet — one who speaks God's word), and as a given name in India and Israel. In the United States the gaming character Navi from Zelda (1998) gave the name wide recognition.

Navi has appeared in U.S. boys' data in the 2010s–2020s, used across South Asian, Israeli American, and gamer communities. Its 2024 ranking of #2352 reflects modest multicultural use.

Did you know? Navi the fairy from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998) is simultaneously one of gaming's most beloved and most parodied characters — her repeated 'Hey! Listen!' became a pop-culture catchphrase, making the name Navi instantly recognizable to a generation of gamers.

Overall data confidence 75%

U.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

NaveeNavvy

Nicknames

Nav

Famous Bearers

★Navi (Zelda: Ocarina of Time) (fictional)
The fairy guide who accompanies Link in Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998), famous for the catchphrase 'Hey! Listen!'

If you like Navi…

Levi— two-syllable Hebrew name with the same -vi ending

Ravi— Sanskrit name (sun) with the same -avi ending

Avi— Hebrew short name with the same -vi ending

Kavi— Sanskrit name meaning poet with the same structure

Davi— two-syllable -avi ending name in the same phonetic family

Explore names like Navi

By themehebrew sanskrit two-syllable prophet gaming

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Navi mean?

Navi means 'navigator' or 'ship' in Sanskrit, and 'prophet' in Hebrew. It is also the name of the fairy guide in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

How do you pronounce Navi?

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

Is Navi a boy or girl name?

Navi appears in boys' data in 2024, though it is used for both sexes.

How popular is Navi?

Navi ranked #2352 for U.S. boys in 2024.