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Name at a glance

Naomi

Naomi is a Hebrew name usually understood as pleasant or pleasantness.

Ranked #47 in US baby names in 2025, rising over the past 5 years.

Naomi is remembered in the book of Ruth as a woman who moves through grief, return, and restoration.

Browse names
OriginHebrew
GenderGirl
FeelRestored
Pronunciationnay-OH-mee

Is Naomi biblical?

Yes

Biblical status Direct biblical person

Naomi is a named person in Scripture, Ruth's mother-in-law in the book of Ruth whose story moves from grief in Moab to restoration in Bethlehem.

Is Naomi a Christian name?

Used by Christians, not distinctively

Christian tradition Christian cultural usage

Naomi is a long-used biblical girls' name valued for the book of Ruth's themes of providence and restoration, without a distinct saint or liturgical tradition.

Plain answer

Naomi is a biblical figure from Ruth and a long-used Christian and Jewish name whose heritage rests on the biblical story rather than church tradition.

Confidence Moderate Last reviewed July 19, 2026 How this works

Meaning

The meaning of Naomi

Naomi means pleasant or pleasantness. In Ruth, the meaning becomes poignant because Naomi asks to be called Mara, meaning bitter, after deep loss.

Name story

Pleasantness after bitterness

Naomi's story is honest about grief. She loses her husband and sons, returns to Bethlehem, and names the bitterness she feels.

Yet the book of Ruth does not leave Naomi in bitterness. Through Ruth, Boaz, and the birth of Obed, her story bends toward restoration.

Biblical arc

Return and renewal

Naomi is not the title character, but her story gives the book much of its emotional weight. She returns empty and is later held within a renewed family line.

For Christian readers, Naomi can suggest hope after loss and the quiet mercy of God working through ordinary loyalty.

Sound

How to pronounce Naomi

Phonetic
nay-OH-mee
IPA
/neɪˈoʊmi/

3 syllables · stress: nay-OH-mee · ends in a vowel

Forms

Variants and nicknames

Alternate spellings

  • Noemi
  • Naomie
  • Noémie
  • Nahomi
  • Naomy

Short forms and nicknames

  • Nay
  • Mimi

Languages

Naomi in other languages

Hebrew
נָעֳמִיNaomi
Greek
ΝωέμηNōemē
Latin
Noemi
Spanish
Noemí
French
Noémie
German
Noomi
Italian
Noemi
Russian
НоеминьNoemin

Christian background

Christian and biblical background

Naomi is valued in Christian use because the book of Ruth is often read as a story of providence, loyalty, redemption, and restoration after sorrow.

Scripture

The biblical figure

Naomi is Ruth's mother-in-law. After family tragedy, she returns to Bethlehem and becomes part of the story that leads to David.

Bearers

Notable people named Naomi

  • biblical

    NaomiMother-in-law of Ruth in the book of Ruth, whose story moves from grief in Moab to restoration in Bethlehem

  • modern

    Naomi WolfAmerican author known for The Beauty Myth, born 1962

  • modern

    Naomi WattsBritish-Australian actress known for Mulholland Drive and 21 Grams, born 1968

  • modern

    Naomi CampbellBritish supermodel and one of the original five supermodels of the early 1990s, born 1970

  • modern

    Naomi KleinCanadian author of No Logo and The Shock Doctrine, born 1970

  • modern

    Naomi OsakaJapanese professional tennis player and four-time Grand Slam singles champion, born 1997

Naming history

Naming tradition and history

Naomi has long been used as a biblical girl name. It feels gentle, international, and literary, with a meaning that is warm but not shallow.

Recent US use

Naomi in recent US use

Rank in 2025
#47
Peak rank
#44 in 2023
Recent trend
rising over the last 5 years
Years in the SSA records
146 (since 1880)

Source: US Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880-2025.

Sibling fit

Sibling name suggestions

Pairings

Names paired with Naomi

  • Ruthmother-in-law and daughter-in-law

    Naomi and Ruth return together from Moab to Bethlehem in the book of Ruth.

For families

For families looking at Naomi

Naomi may suit parents who want a beautiful biblical name with emotional depth. It carries pleasantness, resilience, and restoration.

Common questions

What does Naomi mean?

Naomi means pleasant or pleasantness.

Is Naomi a biblical name?

Yes. Naomi appears in the book of Ruth.

Why does Naomi ask to be called Mara?

After deep loss, Naomi says Mara, meaning bitter, better describes her grief.

Sources

Sources for Naomi

  • A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, Brown, Driver, and BriggsSupports: Hebrew etymology (pleasant / pleasantness); meaning.
  • The Book of Ruth, King James Version (KJV 1769)Supports: biblical figure (Ruth's mother-in-law, Ruth 1:20).

Last reviewed July 19, 2026. See our methodology, or report an error on the corrections page.

Read next

Related names

RuthNaomi's daughter-in-law; Ruth's 'whither thou goest, I will go' speech in Ruth 1:16-17 is addressed directly to Naomi.HannahBoth are Old Testament women whose stories trace a movement from sorrow to blessing; Naomi from bitterness to grandmotherhood, Hannah from barrenness to Samuel.GraceNaomi's name means 'pleasant'; the book of Ruth ends with her name restored after her self-renaming as Mara ('bitter') - the theological arc is grace given again.HopeNaomi's story is one of the great biblical narratives of hope restored; the book of Ruth closes with the genealogy from her grandson Obed to David.