Neko means cat — from the Japanese. In Japanese culture, the neko IS one of the most beloved symbols — the maneki-neko (beckoning cat) brings luck AND prosperity. Neko Case IS indie music's most important voice. Two syllables of the most beloved symbol, beckoning-cat-luck, and indie's most important.
Neko IS Japanese for cat — most beloved.Maneki-neko brings luck AND prosperity.Neko Case IS indie's most important voice.Two syllables with a gentle, Japanese sound: NEH-ko.The most directly feline Japanese name.
Neko IS Japanese for cat. Maneki-neko brings luck. Neko Case IS indie's most important voice.
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First recorded
Earliest known use: Japanese; Neko Case; maneki-neko.
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Today
Neko remains a beloved choice, ranking #3533 in the US. 1,214 babies have been named Neko since 1968.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
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How popular is Neko?
2021peak year
Today, Neko is rarely chosen — ranked well outside the top 1,000 (around #3533), with only about 41 babies given the name per year. But it wasn't always this way. At its peak in 2021, 55 babies were given the name (ranked #2453 nationally). Its strongest stretch was the 2010s. Neko's usage has held roughly steady recently. In all, around 1,214 babies have been registered as Neko since 1880.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
Neko's Life Path 5 is the adventurer's number — feline adventure. People named Neko tend to be gentle, lucky, and gifted at being the Japanese cat AND indie's most important.
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