Naples

/ˈneɪ.pəlz/

//ˈneɪ.pəlz// name

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"naples" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Naples” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #12,465 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#12,465
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
8
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A port city and comune, the capital of the Metropolitan City of Naples and the region of Campania, Italy.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Naples vs naps
50% similar
Naples vs nobles
50% similar
Naples vs nape
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Naples
PropertyValue
HeadwordNaples
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈneɪ.pəlz/
Letters6
Frequency rank#12,465
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs8
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Naples” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Naples lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for Naples is 6 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈneɪ.pəlz/. Corpus data places it at rank #12,465 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 14 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for Naples, with forms such as "anples", "nalpes", and "napels". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 8 confusable-pair relationships, "naps", "nobles", "nape", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French Naples, from Latin Neāpolis, from Ancient Greek Νεᾱ́πολῐς (Neā́polĭs), from νέᾱ (néā, “new”) + πόλῐς (pólĭs, “city”) after the relocation of the original Greek settlement in the area. Doublet of Nabeul, Nablus, Napoli, Neapoli, and Neapolis. Com… The correct English form is Naples, spelled N-A-P-L-E-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    A port city and comune, the capital of the Metropolitan City of Naples and the region of Campania, Italy.
  2. 2
    A metropolitan city of Campania, established in 2015; in full, the Metropolitan City of Naples.
  3. 3
    A former province of Campania.
  4. 4
    Synonym of Kingdom of Naples, a former kingdom that controlled southern Italy in the early modern period.
  5. 5
    Synonym of Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, a former kingdom that controlled southern Italy and Sicily in the 19th century.
  6. 6
    A city in Collier County, Florida, United States.
  7. 7
    An unincorporated community in Idaho, United States.
  8. 8
    A town in Illinois, United States.
  9. 9
    A town in Maine, United States.
  10. 10
    A town and village in New York, United States.
  11. 11
    A town in South Dakota, United States.
  12. 12
    A city in Texas, United States.
  13. 13
    A city in Utah, United States.
  14. 14
    A town in Wisconsin, United States.

Etymology

From French Naples, from Latin Neāpolis, from Ancient Greek Νεᾱ́πολῐς (Neā́polĭs), from νέᾱ (néā, “new”) + πόλῐς (pólĭs, “city”) after the relocation of the original Greek settlement in the area. Doublet of Nabeul, Nablus, Napoli, Neapoli, and Neapolis. Compare Newton.

Synonyms

PalaepolisNeapolisParthenopeNapoli

This word in other languages

Nápoles(Español)Naples(Français)Neapel(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: anples,nalpes,napels,napless,naplles,naplse,napples,nnaples,npales

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Naples - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

anples2nalpes2napels2napless1naplles1naplse2napples1nnaples1
Edit distance from "Naples"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Naples"?
"Naples" is spelled N-A-P-L-E-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈneɪ.pəlz/.
What does "Naples" mean?
As a proper noun, "Naples" means: A port city and comune, the capital of the Metropolitan City of Naples and the region of Campania, Italy.
What words are commonly confused with "Naples"?
"Naples" is commonly confused with "naps", "nobles", "nape". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Naples"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Naples" is /ˈneɪ.pəlz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "Naples"?
From French Naples, from Latin Neāpolis, from Ancient Greek Νεᾱ́πολῐς (Neā́polĭs), from νέᾱ (néā, “new”) + πόλῐς (pólĭs, “city”) after the relocation of the original Greek settlement in the area. Doublet of Nabeul, Nablus, Napoli, Neapoli, and Nea... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Naples”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is N-A-P-L-E-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈneɪ.pəlz/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “naps” - see the side-by-side comparison. Naples vs naps
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list