What does Honoka mean?
Honoka is written with kanji for “harmony” and “flower,” and also carries the sense of “faint, delicate.”
What does Nao mean?
Nao is commonly written with a kanji meaning “honest,” “straight” or “true.”
Honoka vs Nao
Which is more popular?
Honoka and Nao are given to a similar number of US babies today.
| Honoka | Nao | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Harmony; faint grace | Honest, straight |
| Origin | Japanese | Japanese |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | hoh-NOH-kah | NAH-oh |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 2004 | 1980 |
| Peak year | 2008 (10) | 1998 (11) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Trend | Rising | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Honoka
Nao
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Honoka | Nao |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 5 | 5 |
| 2010s | 17 | 10 |
| 2000s | 21 | 30 |
| 1990s | 0 | 29 |
| 1980s | 0 | 21 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Honoka or Nao more popular?
Honoka and Nao are given to a similar number of US babies today.
What is the difference between Honoka and Nao?
Honoka means Harmony; faint grace (Japanese origin), while Nao means Honest, straight (Japanese origin).
Which name is older, Honoka or Nao?
In US records, Honoka first appears in 2004 and Nao in 1980, so Nao has the longer recorded history.