Nairobi
A girls’ name of Kikuyu origin, meaning place of cool waters.
Babies a year
23
the US, 2017
Rarity
Very rare
among names in use
US popularity
—
outside the top 1000
UK popularity
#5927
3 babies
Nairobi by the numbers
In 2025, 3 babies in England and Wales were named Nairobi. In the US, 23 were, though that figure is from 2017, the most recent full year we hold.
It is used at about the same rate on both sides of the Atlantic.
Its best year in America so far is the most recent one on record, which means it was still climbing when the records end.
Spelled almost the same
Other names in the records within a letter or two of Nairobi. Close spellings are not always related names, but they are usually worth seeing together.
Other names that mean water
Like Nairobi, each of these has water in its meaning. Different names, different histories, the same idea.
- Mayaillusion; mother; water1,259 in England and Wales (2025)
- Riverflowing water; nature name3,114 in the US (2017)
- Brookesmall stream1,616 in the US (2017)
- Taliagod's dew; form of Thalia or Natalia260 in England and Wales (2025)
- Kendraclear water; from a place name734 in the US (2017)
- Rosemarydew of the sea; the herb rosemary687 in the US (2017)
Names about as common as Nairobi
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