| Aoi | Nozomi | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Hollyhock; blue | hope, wish |
| Origin | Japanese | japanese |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Pronunciation | AH-oh-ee | no-ZO-mee |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1994 | 0 |
| Peak year | 2014 (14) | 2021 (10) |
| In 2025 | 9 | 0 |
| Trend | Declining | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Aoi | Nozomi |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 9 | 41 |
| 2010s | 95 | 32 |
| 2000s | 81 | 38 |
| 1990s | 23 | 19 |
| 1980s | 0 | 13 |
Aoi can mean “hollyhock” or “blue/green,” depending on the kanji.
A Japanese name meaning 'hope' (希) or 'wish' (望), depending on the kanji chosen. Listed as both feminine and masculine, though more often given to girls. Meaning depends on the specific characters used.
Aoi is more popular than Nozomi today: about 9 US babies were given the name Aoi in 2025, compared with 0 named Nozomi.
Aoi means Hollyhock; blue (Japanese origin), while Nozomi means hope, wish (japanese origin).
In US records, Aoi first appears in 1994 and Nozomi in 0, so Nozomi has the longer recorded history.