Neo

Neo has an established Tswana meaning of “gift” and is used for both boys and girls in that tradition. Separately, it can be connected with the Greek word neos, “new,” familiar through the prefix neo-. These are independent language histories, so a family can choose the interpretation that reflects its own reasons for using the name.

The Matrix made Neo recognizable to many English-speaking audiences as the name of its central character. That fictional association is not the source of the Tswana name. Although Neo is only three letters long, its two vowels usually give it two syllables, with pronunciation varying by language. It offers a short full name that does not need further shortening.