Naphtali is of Hebrew origin and means "wrestling." It is one of the twelve sons of Jacob in the Old Testament, and his mother was Bilhah, Rachel's handmaiden. Naphtali's descendants formed one of the tribes of Israel. The name is also mentioned in the New Testament as part of a genealogy leading to Jesus Christ. In modern times, Naphtali has been used occasionally, but it remains quite rare as a given name. It could be considered an unusual yet meaningful choice for parents interested in Hebrew names with specific meanings or connections to biblical history.
Naphtali had its peak years of popularity in the late 80s and early 90s with around 6-8 births per year. However, it has since seen a steady decline in usage, with only 5 births occurring each year from 2002 onwards, except for a brief spike to 7 births in 2008 and 2009. The most recent years show no significant change in this trend, with 5 births occurring each year between 2011 and 2021. In total, 83 babies were named Naphtali during these years.