Anhad
A name of Hindi origin meaning "the infinite eternal sound".
Name Census estimates that about 207 living Americans carry the first name Anhad. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 84.6% of registrations being male. The average person named Anhad today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Anhad births was 2024 (44 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Anhad. 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 Anhad with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
207
~ 1 in 1,655,818 Americans
Peak year
2024
44 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,783
Tracked since 2009
Gender
Gender distribution for Anhad
Anhad leans heavily male at 84.6% of total registrations, but 32 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Anhad as a male name
- Ranked #3,783 in 2024
- 29 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (29 births)
Anhad as a female name
- Ranked #7,252 in 2024
- 15 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (15 births)
Popularity
Anhad: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Anhad from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 117 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
Anhad 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 Anhad during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Anhads live
Origin
Meaning and history of Anhad
The name Anhad is rooted in the Sanskrit language and originates from the Indian subcontinent. The word 'Anhad' means 'unstruck sound' or 'the celestial sound of the universe' in Sanskrit. It is a spiritual term used in various Indian philosophical and religious traditions, particularly in Sikhism and Hinduism.
In Sikhism, Anhad Naad or Anhad Shabad refers to the divine, eternal, and unstruck sound that resonates throughout the universe. It is considered the primordial vibration from which all creation emerged. The concept of Anhad is deeply embedded in Sikh scriptures, such as the Guru Granth Sahib, and is a central theme in Sikh mysticism and spiritual practice.
The name Anhad finds its roots in ancient Indian texts and scriptures, including the Upanishads and the Vedas. These sacred texts discuss the concept of Anhad or the cosmic sound, often described as the primordial vibration that sustains the universe. It is believed to be the source of all created sounds and the essence of the divine.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Anhad can be found in the writings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469-1539), the founder of Sikhism. He extensively referred to the concept of Anhad Naad in his teachings and emphasized the importance of attuning oneself to this divine sound through meditation and spiritual practices.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Anhad. Anhad Singh Thaur (1901-1974) was a prominent Sikh leader and freedom fighter from Punjab, India, who played a significant role in the Indian independence movement. Another notable figure was Anhad Partap Singh (1835-1909), a Sikh ruler and the Maharaja of the princely state of Nabha in present-day Punjab, India.
In the realm of music, Anhad Naad Yogi (1948-2001) was a renowned Indian classical vocalist and spiritual teacher from the Sikh tradition. He was renowned for his mastery of the Gurbani Kirtan, the musical rendition of the Sikh scriptures, and his ability to convey the essence of Anhad Naad through his performances.
Anhad Fauzdar (1876-1939) was an Indian playwright and poet who contributed significantly to the Punjabi literature of the early 20th century. His works often explored spiritual themes and the concept of Anhad Naad.
Anhad Dev (1917-2002) was a noted Indian philosopher, writer, and social reformer from Punjab. He authored several books on Sikhism, emphasizing the importance of understanding the spiritual concept of Anhad Naad and its relevance in modern times.
People
Anhad + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Anhad 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
Anhad: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Anhad?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 207 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Anhad 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 1,655,818 US residents.
Is Anhad a common name?
We classify Anhad as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 208 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Anhad most popular?
The single biggest year for Anhad was 2024, when 44 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Anhad 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 Anhad in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Anhad a male name?
Yes, 84.6% of people registered as Anhad 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 Anhad still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Anhad 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 Anhad 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 are named Anhad?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.