Noah

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Noah

Gender: Masculine
Language: English
Etymology:

Noah comes from a Hebrew name, Noach. In the Bible, the is said to mean “A Ceasing of Toil,” or “Comfort.” In Genesis, Lamech names his son Noah saying “this same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands.”

However, the Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names (Withycombe, 3rd ed. 1977) claims it means “long” or “long-lived.”

However again, the name Noah is similar to the name Nahum, which does mean “comfort” or “consolation.” Perhaps Lamech was punning.

History:

Noah, a Biblical name, was revived by 17th century Puritans, who were fond of bestowing righteous Bible names upon their children. The Puritans brought it with them to the American colonies where it was a common name for the next two centuries.

By the early 20th century, however, Biblical names were declining. Although Noah never disappeared, it did become significantly less common.

Noah experienced another revival beginning in the 1970s along with other “softer” Bible names like Elijah, Joshua, Jeremiah, Micah, Zachariah, Isaiah, Jonah, Sarah, Hannah, Rebecca, Leah, etc. By the early 21st century it had become quite popular again.

Pronunciation: noe-ah

Alternates: Noa.
Finnish: Nooa.
French: Noë.
Hebrew: Noach.
Polish: Noe.
Spanish: Noe.
Swedish: Noak.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:.
Noah Martini (1919-1966)
American conductor.

Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
Noah Webster (1758-1843)
American lexicographer.
Noah Porter (1811-1892)
President of Yale.

Miscellaneous:
Noah Brooks (1830-1903)
American journalist.

Political Figures:
Noah H. Swayne (1804-1884)
Associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Religious Figures:
Noah (Biblical)
The hero of the flood story.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.022 % named Noah
0.011 % named Noe

Popularity of Noah:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1850: 122nd most popular.
1875: 137th most popular.
1880: 127th most popular.
1881: 152nd most popular.
1882: 129th most popular.
1883: 158th most popular.
1884: 146th most popular.
1885: 174th most popular.
1886: 155th most popular.
1887: 138th most popular.
1888: 177th most popular.
1889: 158th most popular.
1890: 180th most popular.
1891: 170th most popular.
1892: 195th most popular.
1893: 205th most popular.
1894: 198th most popular.
1895: 199th most popular.
1896: 216th most popular.
1897: 223rd most popular.
1898: 211th most popular.
1899: 244th most popular.
1900: 204th most popular.
1901: 232nd most popular.
1902: 215th most popular.
1903: 266th most popular.
1904: 277th most popular.
1905: 251st most popular.
1906: 253rd most popular.
1907: 271st most popular.
1908: 256th most popular.
1909: 285th most popular.
1910: 260th most popular.
1911: 291st most popular.
1912: 355th most popular.
1913: 347th most popular.
1914: 360th most popular.
1915: 392nd most popular.
1916: 355th most popular.
1917: 382nd most popular.
1918: 378th most popular.
1919: 364th most popular.
1920: 383rd most popular.
1921: 384th most popular.
1922: 390th most popular.
1923: 374th most popular.
1924: 387th most popular.
1925: 403rd most popular.
1926: 381st most popular.
1927: 391st most popular.
1928: 461st most popular.
1929: 417th most popular.
1930: 428th most popular.
1931: 418th most popular.
1932: 416th most popular.
1933: 415th most popular.
1934: 469th most popular.
1935: 423rd most popular.
1936: 468th most popular.
1937: 473rd most popular.
1938: 477th most popular.
1939: 511th most popular.
1940: 472nd most popular.
1941: 472nd most popular.
1942: 462nd most popular.
1943: 495th most popular.
1944: 486th most popular.
1945: 518th most popular.
1946: 560th most popular.
1947: 539th most popular.
1948: 545th most popular.
1949: 555th most popular.
1950: 545th most popular.
1951: 545th most popular.
1952: 582nd most popular.
1953: 557th most popular.
1954: 641st most popular.
1955: 644th most popular.
1956: 650th most popular.
1957: 617th most popular.
1958: 657th most popular.
1959: 620th most popular.
1960: 669th most popular.
1961: 682nd most popular.
1962: 655th most popular.
1963: 695th most popular.
1964: 658th most popular.
1965: 674th most popular.
1966: 596th most popular.
1967: 598th most popular.
1968: 575th most popular.
1969: 488th most popular.
1970: 445th most popular.
1971: 367th most popular.
1972: 384th most popular.
1973: 346th most popular.
1974: 325th most popular.
1975: 314th most popular.
1976: 324th most popular.
1977: 285th most popular.
1978: 282nd most popular.
1979: 242nd most popular.
1980: 241st most popular.
1981: 180th most popular.
1982: 155th most popular.
1983: 170th most popular.
1984: 194th most popular.
1985: 218th most popular.
1986: 227th most popular.
1987: 239th most popular.
1988: 230th most popular.
1989: 221st most popular.
1990: 234th most popular.
1991: 230th most popular.
1992: 225th most popular.
1993: 210th most popular.
1994: 168th most popular.
1995: 102nd most popular.
1996: 52nd most popular.
1997: 38th most popular.
1998: 31st most popular.
1999: 25th most popular. - Peak!
2000: 27th most popular.
2001: 28th most popular.
2002: 34th most popular.
2003: 32nd most popular.
2004: 29th most popular.

Selected Sources:
The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, Withycombe, 1977, 3rd ed.
A Dictionary of First Names, Hanks and Hodges, 1990
The Penguin Dictionary of First Names, Pickering, 1999

The Social Security Administration Actuarial Note 139 (www.ssa.gov) - For popularity stats 1880-Present
The 1880 U.S. Census- For popularity stats 1850-1880, and other information (it is available on-line at www.familysearch.org)