Neko
Every Neko since 1968 — 1,248 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Neko
Neko is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,424 in 2025 with 34 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1968, 1,248 American babies have been named Neko — about 80% boys and 20% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2021, when 63 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Neko stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Neko year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 34 | #3,424 |
| 2024 | 5 | #16,991 | 27 | #4,044 |
| 2023 | 8 | #11,899 | 33 | #3,532 |
| 2022 | — | — | 38 | #3,199 |
| 2021 | 8 | #11,887 | 55 | #2,453 |
| 2020 | 6 | #14,631 | 36 | #3,184 |
| 2019 | 11 | #9,573 | 26 | #4,076 |
| 2018 | 8 | #12,181 | 26 | #4,077 |
| 2017 | 8 | #12,436 | 31 | #3,562 |
| 2016 | 13 | #8,735 | 31 | #3,583 |
| 2015 | 11 | #9,961 | 30 | #3,657 |
| 2014 | 14 | #8,375 | 33 | #3,352 |
| 2013 | 11 | #10,062 | 38 | #2,984 |
| 2012 | 10 | #11,033 | 49 | #2,541 |
| 2011 | 12 | #9,568 | 28 | #3,759 |
| 2010 | 18 | #7,137 | 35 | #3,222 |
| 2009 | 19 | #6,999 | 38 | #3,088 |
| 2008 | 11 | #10,598 | 28 | #3,803 |
| 2007 | 10 | #11,408 | 35 | #3,226 |
| 2006 | 9 | #12,142 | 21 | #4,463 |
| 2005 | 5 | #18,395 | 16 | #5,206 |
| 2004 | 6 | #15,532 | 21 | #4,217 |
| 2003 | — | — | 19 | #4,381 |
| 2002 | — | — | 28 | #3,239 |
| 2001 | — | — | 16 | #4,832 |
| 2000 | — | — | 23 | #3,607 |
| 1995 | — | — | 14 | #4,440 |
| 1990 | — | — | 18 | #3,415 |
| 1985 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | 6 | #9,949 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | 6 | #7,690 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Neko
- Neško Milovanović Soccer player · b. 1974
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Neko in 2025?
Neko ranked #3,424 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 34 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Neko?
1,248 babies have been named Neko in the United States since 1968, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Neko most popular?
Neko peaked in 2021, when 63 newborns received the name.
Is Neko a boy or girl name?
Neko is used for both: about 20% of babies named Neko have been girls and 80% boys.
Is the name Neko rising or falling?
Neko has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Neko?
Well-known people named Neko include Neško Milovanović (soccer player).