| Nami | Sakura | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Wave | Cherry blossom |
| Origin | japanese | Japanese |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | NAH-mee | sah-KOO-rah |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| First appeared | 0 | 1970 |
| Peak year | 2025 (156) | 2012 (87) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 58 |
| Trend | Rising | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Nami | Sakura |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 710 | 322 |
| 2010s | 296 | 702 |
| 2000s | 104 | 595 |
| 1990s | 42 | 113 |
| 1980s | 20 | 41 |
| 1970s | 0 | 10 |
From the Japanese word nami (波) meaning 'wave'. Depending on the kanji used it can also carry other senses, but the 'wave' reading is standard.
Sakura means “cherry blossom,” Japan’s emblematic spring flower; other kanji give other senses.
Sakura is more popular than Nami today: about 58 US babies were given the name Sakura in 2025, compared with 0 named Nami.
Nami means Wave (japanese origin), while Sakura means Cherry blossom (Japanese origin).
In US records, Nami first appears in 0 and Sakura in 1970, so Nami has the longer recorded history.