What does Nagi mean?
Nagi is written with the kanji for the calm “lull” of the sea between wind and waves.
What does Hikaru mean?
Hikaru means “light” or “radiance” in Japanese.
Nagi vs Hikaru
Which is more popular?
Nagi is more popular than Hikaru today: about 8 US babies were given the name Nagi in 2025, compared with 7 named Hikaru.
| Nagi | Hikaru | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Calm, lull | Light, radiance |
| Origin | Japanese | Japanese |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Pronunciation | NAH-gee | hee-KAH-roo |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1992 | 1992 |
| Peak year | 2024 (10) | 2006 (14) |
| In 2025 | 8 | 7 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Nagi
Hikaru
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Nagi | Hikaru |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 26 | 18 |
| 2010s | 41 | 36 |
| 2000s | 48 | 69 |
| 1990s | 11 | 46 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Nagi or Hikaru more popular?
Nagi is more popular than Hikaru today: about 8 US babies were given the name Nagi in 2025, compared with 7 named Hikaru.
What is the difference between Nagi and Hikaru?
Nagi means Calm, lull (Japanese origin), while Hikaru means Light, radiance (Japanese origin).
Which name is older, Nagi or Hikaru?
In US records, Nagi first appears in 1992 and Hikaru in 1992, so Nagi has the longer recorded history.