How to say it
NO · uh
ˈnoʊ.ə
Masculine
Noah
Rest, comfort
What it means
From the Hebrew Noach (נֹחַ), tied to a root meaning rest, repose, or comfort. The calm after a long crossing.
The biblical Noah is the patriarch of the flood narrative in Genesis, named (the text suggests) for the relief his birth brought his father Lamech. The name circulated through Jewish and Puritan traditions for centuries before its modern surge. Noah re-entered the English-speaking mainstream in the 1990s and has held the US top three for boys for over a decade. Part of the appeal is the softness of the sound: two open vowels separated by a single consonant, like a slow exhale.
How to spell Noah
The standard spelling is Noah. Common variants include Noa, Noach, but Noah is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #1 in 2013, currently #2 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pronunciation
NO-uh, two syllables. The H is silent. Not NOH-ah with the H sounded.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Noah (Bible) Builder of the ark, survived the flood
- Noah Baumbach Filmmaker, Marriage Story and The Squid and the Whale
- Noah Centineo Actor, To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Spelling variants
- Noa
- Noach
Names with the same feeling
See Noah from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Noah mean?
- From the Hebrew Noach (נֹחַ), tied to a root meaning rest, repose, or comfort. The calm after a long crossing.
- What does Noah mean in Hebrew?
- In Hebrew, Noah means "Rest, comfort." The biblical Noah is the patriarch of the flood narrative in Genesis, named (the text suggests) for the relief his birth brought his father Lamech. The name circulated through Jewish and Puritan traditions for centuries before its modern surge. Noah re-entered the English-speaking mainstream in the 1990s and has held the US top three for boys for over a decade. Part of the appeal is the softness of the sound: two open vowels separated by a single consonant, like a slow exhale.
- How do you pronounce Noah?
- Noah is pronounced ˈnoʊ.ə. Say it as NO-uh, with the stress on the "no" syllable.
- How do you spell Noah?
- The standard spelling is Noah. Common spelling variants include Noa, Noach.
- Is Noah a boy or girl name?
- Noah is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Noah?
- Noah ranked #2 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.