Nao (なお, ナオ) is a common feminine Japanese given name which is occasionally used by males. It is also a short name for Naoko, Naomi, Naoto, etc.

Possible writings

Nao can be written using different kanji characters and can mean:

• 直, "honest"
• 尚, "esteem"
• 巨, "giant"
• 奈緒, "Nara, cord"
• 菜緒, "greens, cord"
• 奈央, "Nara, center"

The name can also be written in hiragana be katakana.

People

• Nao (ナオ), a drummer from Visual Kei band Alice Nine
• Nao (born 1985), Japanese singer and former lead singer of the band fripSide
• Nao Deguchi (なお, 1837-1918), founder of Oomoto
• Nao Eguchi (江口 直生, born 1992), Japanese footballer
• Nao Furuhata (奈和, born 1996), member of the girl group SKE48
• Nao Hibino (菜緒, born 1994), Japanese pro tennis player
• Nao Higashihama (東浜 巨, born 1993 ), Japanese baseball pitcher
• Nao Horomura (幌村 尚, born 1999), Japanese male swimmer
• Nao Kawakita (奈緒, born 1975), drummer and backup vocalist of Japanese rock band Maximum the Hormone
• Nao Kodaira (奈緒, born 1986), Japanese Olympic long-track speed skater
• Nao Kosaka (菜緒, born 2002), Japanese idol, model, actress and member of the girl group Hinatazaka46
• Nao Matsushita (奈緒, born 1985), Japanese actress and pianist
• Nao Nagasawa (奈央, born 1984), Japanese actress, singer and model
• Nao Oikawa (奈央, born 1981), Japanese AV idol and tarento
• Nao Ōmori (南朋, born 1972), Japanese actor
• Nao Saejima (奈緒, 1968–2013), Japanese AV idol
• Nao Suzuki (鈴木 奈央, born 1997), Japanese cyclist
• Nao Takamori (奈緒, born 1973), Japanese voice idol
• Nao Takasugi (1922–2009), Japanese-American politician
• Nao Tamura, a Japanese voice actress
• Nao Tōyama (奈央, born 1992), a Japanese pop solo artist and former leader of Buzy (band)
• Nao Ueki (南央, born 1997), member of the girl group HKT48. Often referred to as Chinkansen
• Nao Watanabe (渡邊 奈央), Japanese singer
• Nao Yasuda (奈央, born 1990), former member of Kamen Rider Girls
• Nao Yazawa (直), Japanese manga artist

Characters

• Nao, a character in the manga series Inu Neko Jump!
• Nao Chikura (名央), a character in the manga series Hatsukoi Limited
• Nao Egokoro (菜緒), a character from the visual novel Your Turn to Die
• Nao Kamiya (奈緒), a character in the mobile game and anime The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls
• Nao Kanzaki (ナオ), the main protagonist in the manga and live actions series, Liar Game
• Nao Makinoha (奈緒), a character from the shōnen fantasy manga Midori No Hibi
• Nao Mariota Pryderi, a female character in the MMORPG Mabinogi
• Nao Midorikawa, a character in Smile PreCure!, the 9th season in the Pretty Cure franchise
• Nao Morisaki (七央), a character from the erotic visual novel Soul Link
• Nao Okuda (直), a character in the manga series K-On!
• Nao Tomori (奈緒), a character in the anime series Charlotte
• Nao Yasumori (奈緒), a female character in the anime and manga series Shiki (novel series)
• Nao Yuuki (奈緒), a female character in the anime series My-HiME
• Nao Yoshikawa (菜緒), the main character in the manga and live action series Good Morning Call