Navy

When R & B singer Nivea made this highly original choice for her daughter's name back in 2005, she claimed to have thought of it in terms of the color and not the seagoing armed service. As a word with multiple meanings, however, it could easily work as a nod to a naval officer in the family or to someone who enjoys sailing.

Ultimately deriving from the Latin word navigia meaning "boats", Navy can refer to a fleet of ships, to the armed forces of the sea, or to the dark shade of blue, named for the traditional color of naval uniforms. As a name, it could fit in with the likes of Indigo, Scarlett, Hazel, or Sailor - and based on its sounds, with Maeve, May, and Ava.

Following Nivea's use of the name, it did slowly begin to climb the charts throughout the late 2000s and early 2010s, but, after a boost in 2019 when country singer Jason Aldean gave it to his daughter, it entered the Top 1000. Currently a Top 500 name for girls in the US, it is also in the UK Top 1000 and gaining attention as an option for boys too.

Pronounced NAY-vee.

As of October 2026, Navy ranked #327 in US births in 2025 SSA, Nameberry popularity #661.