Nou as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Nou

What is the meaning of the name Nou ?

The baby name Nou is a Unisex name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /nuː/ (noo); Catalan often /ˈnou/.

Nou is Catalan, Khmer, Lao, Vietnamese in Origin.

Nou is a compact, cross‑cultural given name with several roots. In Hmong communities it is a common feminine name; meanings vary by tone and orthography in Hmong, so Nou is often chosen for its pleasing sound rather than a single fixed sense. Across Laos and Thailand, closely related nicknames romanized as Nou/Noo/Nu derive from words meaning “mouse” or “little one” (Thai หนู, Lao ໜູ), conveying affection and smallness. In Khmer, Nou appears in personal and family names, reflecting broader Southeast Asian usage. A separate line comes from Catalan/Occitan, where nou means “new,” inspiring modern, minimalist adoption.

Usage is strongest in Southeast Asia and among diaspora families in France, the United States, and Australia. Variants and spellings include Noo, Nu, and Nuu; as a clipped or phonetic cousin it also relates to Arabic Nouh (a form of Noah). Gender use skews feminine in Hmong and neutral elsewhere.