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At a Glance
- Meaning
- Rest, settle
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Gender
- Boy
- Pronunciation
- NOH-ah
Noah is a Hebrew boy name with a plain-spoken meaning: rest, settle. You'll often hear it explained as meaning "comfort," but that's a mix-up — comfort comes from a different, similar-sounding Hebrew root used as a wordplay in the Bible, not the actual meaning of Noah. Said NOH-ah (/ˈnoʊə/), it has a soft, easy sound that fits its settled, unhurried meaning.
Meaning & Origin of Noah
Meaning: Rest, settle.
Origin: Hebrew.
A common claim: Noah is popularly said to mean 'rest' or 'comfort.' Actually: 'Rest/settle' is the correct root, but 'comfort' comes from a different, similar-sounding Hebrew root cited in the Bible as a pun — not the literal meaning of the name.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Noah
NOH-ahIPA /ˈnoʊə/
Popularity of Noah
Noah peaked at #1 in 2013 with 18,287 babies given the name, and in 2024 it sat close behind at #2 with 20,337 — more Noahs born in the most recent year on record than in its #1 year.
Names Like Noah
These names share Noah’s style, era or origin.
FAQ
What does the name Noah mean?
Rest, settle. (Source: Wiktionary)
How do you pronounce Noah?
Noah is pronounced NOH-ah (IPA: /ˈnoʊə/).
Is Noah a popular name right now?
Noah peaked at #1 in 2013 and is ranked #2 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
Make Noah Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Noah, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
📊 How popular is Noah? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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