The first name Neo
A boy’s name meaning “new”, “(the) one”.
2 syllables Male
Meaning and origin
Neo means “new”, “(the) one”.
Recent coinage from the prefix neo- (“new”). Popularized by a character in the science-fiction film The Matrix (1999), where it is explained as an anagram of "(the) One".
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 47 boys were named Neo, making it the 735th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2003, with 99 births (#294).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Neo with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Neo at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 204 boys born in the United States were named Neo, the 1,066th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2022, when 240 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Neo in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Neo in Swedish too.
Questions
- What does the name Neo mean?
- Neo means “new”, “(the) one”.
- How popular is the name Neo?
- In 2025, 47 boys born in England and Wales were named Neo, ranking 735th. Its peak was 2003, with 99 births.
- Is Neo a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 3,123 US babies named Neo since 1880 were boys.
- When was Neo most popular?
- 2022 in the United States, when 240 babies were named Neo, its highest rank at 949th.