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