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Neenah
How to Pronounce Neenah
Pronounced NEE-nuh /ˈniː.nə/Medium
Meaning: Neenah is a place name from Wisconsin, taken from a Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) word meaning 'water' or 'running water'. Used as a given name, it carries that gentle, flowing sense and honors its origin as a name from the land.Low
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
Neenah comes from the city of Neenah, Wisconsin, whose name derives from a Ho-Chunk, or Winnebago, word for 'water' or 'running water'. As a first name it reads as a place-name honoring that origin, soft and two-beat, with a clear tie to rivers and lakes.
It has never been common as a given name, reaching only about twenty girls a year at its high near 2009. It appeals to families drawn to place-names and to its calm, water-linked meaning.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Neenah mean?
It is a Wisconsin place name from a Ho-Chunk word meaning 'water' or 'running water'.
How do you pronounce Neenah?
It is said NEE-nuh /ˈniː.nə/, two syllables with the stress on the first.
Is Neenah a boy or girl name?
Neenah is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Neenah?
It has always been rare, given to only a handful of girls a year at its high in the late two-thousands.