Anav
A name of Hebrew origin meaning "humble, modest, or meek".
Name Census estimates that about 220 living Americans carry the first name Anav. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Anav today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Anav births was 2023 (32 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Anav. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Anav with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
220
~ 1 in 1,557,974 Americans
Peak year
2023
32 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,423
Tracked since 2011
Popularity
Anav: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Anav from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 130 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Anav 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 Anav during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Anavs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, Texas, Washington recorded the most babies named Anav, while Washington, Texas, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 15 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Anav
The name Anav is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit language, which is one of the oldest Indo-Aryan languages spoken in the Indian subcontinent. The word "anav" in Sanskrit means "humble" or "modest." It is thought to have been derived from the Sanskrit root "an," which means "to breathe" or "to live."
In Hindu mythology, the name Anav is associated with the concept of humility and selflessness. The Bhagavad Gita, one of the most revered Hindu scriptures, emphasizes the importance of cultivating humility and detachment from ego as a means to attain spiritual enlightenment.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Anav can be found in ancient Indian texts and inscriptions dating back to the 3rd century BCE. During this period, the name was commonly used among the Brahmin community, which comprised the highest caste in the Hindu social hierarchy.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Anav. One such figure was Anav Ratan, a renowned Indian scholar and poet who lived during the 16th century. He was celebrated for his profound knowledge of Sanskrit literature and his poetic compositions.
Another prominent figure was Anav Kavi, a 17th-century Indian mystic and spiritual leader who founded a religious movement known as the Anav Panthi sect. He preached the importance of humility, compassion, and devotion to the divine.
In the 18th century, Anav Singh was a revered Sikh warrior and military leader who played a crucial role in the defense of the Sikh Empire against foreign invaders. He is remembered for his bravery and unwavering commitment to protecting his people.
Moving to more recent times, Anav Rattan Bedi was a distinguished Indian judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the late 20th century. He was highly respected for his impartial judgments and upholding the principles of justice.
Another notable figure was Anav Sanyal, an Indian social activist and environmentalist who dedicated his life to promoting sustainable development and protecting the rights of indigenous communities. He received numerous awards and accolades for his tireless efforts.
People
Anav + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Anav 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
Anav: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Anav?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 220 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Anav 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 1,557,974 US residents.
Is Anav a common name?
We classify Anav as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 222 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Anav most popular?
The single biggest year for Anav was 2023, when 32 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Anav is about 6 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Anav in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Anav a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Anav 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.
Is Anav still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Anav in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Anav can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Anav?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.