UK girl's name
Nene
A Hawaiian name meaning beautiful, graceful, or in good health.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2015. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Nene is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Nene popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2015 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5730, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 5 births.
This profile covers 11 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2011 to 2015. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 11 living people in the UK are called Nene. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2016 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Nene ranked #5730 for girls in England and Wales in 2015, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2014, when 5 girls were registered as Nene.
- • About 11 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nene as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5730
2015
Births in 2015
3
Latest year
Peak year
2014
5 births
Estimated living
11
2026
Meaning
What does Nene mean?
The name Nene has its origins in various cultures and languages around the world. It is derived from the Japanese word "ne", which means "root" or "source". In Japanese culture, the name Nene is often given to girls and is thought to represent purity, innocence, and a strong connection to one's roots.
In Hawaiian culture, the name Nene is associated with the Hawaiian goose, which is also known as the nene. This bird is a revered and protected species in Hawaii, and the name Nene is often given to children as a symbol of respect for nature and the environment.
The name Nene can also be found in various African languages, such as Yoruba and Igbo. In these languages, the name is often a shortened form of longer names, such as Nnenna or Nnennaenyechi, which mean "mother is supreme" or "mother is good and beautiful".
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Nene dates back to the 16th century, when a Japanese woman named Nene Naoe lived during the Sengoku period. She was the wife of the famous daimyo (feudal lord) Uesugi Kenshin and played a significant role in the political and military affairs of her time.
In the 19th century, Nene Sahib was a prominent figure in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 against the British East India Company. She was the wife of the Maratha ruler Jhansi Rao and bravely led her troops in the defense of the city of Jhansi.
Another notable figure with the name Nene was Nene de Villiers, a South African cricketer who played for the South African national team in the early 20th century. He was born in 1890 and played his last international match in 1924.
In the world of literature, Nene Tereza was a Brazilian writer and journalist who lived from 1935 to 2011. She was known for her work in promoting Afro-Brazilian culture and her contributions to the Brazilian literary scene.
Finally, Nene Leakes is a contemporary American television personality and actress, best known for her appearances on the reality show "The Real Housewives of Atlanta". She has used her platform to advocate for various social causes and has become a popular figure in the entertainment industry.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Nene over time
The chart below shows babies named Nene registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2011 to 2015. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Nene, the clearest high point is 2014. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2015, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nene by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nene was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #5173 | 11 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Nene
- Niamh 20,347
- Nicole 19,687
- Natasha 15,578
- Nancy 12,607
- Naomi 12,199
- Natalie 10,885
- Nevaeh 7,869
- Nina 7,285
- Neve 7,180
- Natalia 7,099
- Nadia 6,032
- Nicola 4,927
FAQ
Nene: questions and answers
How popular is the name Nene in the UK right now?
In 2015, Nene was ranked #5730 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Nene most popular?
The peak year on record was 2014, with 5 babies registered as Nene in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Nene?
A Hawaiian name meaning beautiful, graceful, or in good health.
How many people are called Nene in the UK?
A total of 11 babies have been registered as Nene across the 3 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.