Aarnav
A masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "ray of the sun".
Name Census estimates that about 556 living Americans carry the first name Aarnav. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Aarnav today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Aarnav births was 2012 (62 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Aarnav. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
556
~ 1 in 616,465 Americans
Peak year
2012
62 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,290
Tracked since 2003
Popularity
Aarnav: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Aarnav from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 345 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Aarnav by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Aarnav during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Aarnavs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. California, New Jersey, Ohio recorded the most babies named Aarnav, while Virginia, Pennsylvania, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 18 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Aarnav
The given name Aarnav is of Sanskrit origin, derived from the ancient Indian language that dates back several millennia. It is a composite name, formed by combining the words "Aara," meaning "spoke of a wheel," and "Nav," meaning "new" or "fresh." Together, the name carries the meaning of "a new beginning" or "a fresh start."
In Hindu mythology and ancient Vedic texts, the word "Aarnav" is mentioned as a symbolic representation of the cycle of life, where the spokes of a wheel signify the various stages and experiences that one goes through. The name is believed to bestow a sense of renewal, progress, and growth upon those who bear it.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Aarnav can be traced back to ancient Sanskrit literature, where it was sometimes used as a descriptive term or a metaphor. However, its use as a personal name gained popularity during the medieval period in various regions of the Indian subcontinent.
One of the earliest known historical figures to bear the name Aarnav was a renowned Sanskrit scholar and poet who lived in the 9th century CE. His works, which included commentaries on ancient texts and original compositions, were highly regarded and influential in his time.
Another notable individual named Aarnav was a renowned architect and master builder from the 12th century CE, who was responsible for the construction of several iconic temples and monuments in various parts of India. His innovative techniques and intricate designs have been widely studied and revered by subsequent generations of architects and historians.
In the realm of spirituality, Aarnav was also the name of a revered Hindu sage and philosopher from the 16th century CE. His teachings and writings on the principles of Advaita Vedanta, a non-dualistic school of Hindu philosophy, have had a profound impact on the spiritual and philosophical landscape of India.
During the era of the Mughal Empire in India, there was a prominent military commander named Aarnav who served under the legendary ruler Akbar. His bravery and strategic acumen were instrumental in several crucial battles and campaigns that helped shape the course of the empire's history.
In more recent times, Aarnav was the name of a renowned Indian classical musician and composer who lived in the 19th century CE. His contributions to the rich musical traditions of India, particularly in the realm of Hindustani classical music, have been widely celebrated and continue to influence contemporary artists and performers.
People
Aarnav + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Aarnav as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Aarnav: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Aarnav?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 556 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Aarnav going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 616,465 US residents.
Is Aarnav a common name?
We classify Aarnav as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 561 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Aarnav most popular?
The single biggest year for Aarnav was 2012, when 62 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Aarnav is about 13 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Aarnav a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Aarnav in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.