Naftali is a Hebrew masculine given name that translates to " Wrestling with God". It's derived from the name of the second son of Jacob and Rachel in the Old Testament of the Bible, who was also known as Ephraim. In Jewish tradition, Naftali is considered one of the twelve tribes of Israel, named after him. The name has been popular among Jewish communities throughout history and has since gained international recognition.
The name Naftali experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the decades. In its early years, it saw consistent but modest usage, with around 5-7 births per year from 1951 to 1963. However, starting in 1969, there was a notable increase in its popularity, reaching double digits and peaking at 21 births in 1978.
The name's popularity continued to rise throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, with peaks of 38 births in 1997 and 66 births in 2005. Since then, it has remained relatively popular, with annual births ranging from around 40 to 80.
Overall, the name Naftali has seen a total of 1890 births since its first recorded usage in 1951 up until 2023.