Archana
A feminine given name of Hindu origin meaning "prayer" or "invocation".
Name Census estimates that about 393 living Americans carry the first name Archana. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Archana today is around 31 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Archana births was 1989 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Archana. 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
393
~ 1 in 872,148 Americans
Peak year
1989
17 babies that year
Average age
31
years old
2018 SSA rank
#12,614
Tracked since 1972
Popularity
Archana: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Archana from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 116 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Archana remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Archana 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 Archana during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Archana
The name Archana originates from the Sanskrit language and has its roots in ancient Indian culture. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "archan," which means "to worship" or "to praise." The name gained prominence in Hindu mythology and religious texts.
Archana is often associated with the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth, fortune, and prosperity. In the Puranas, ancient Hindu scriptures, Archana is described as a manifestation of Lakshmi and is revered for her beauty, grace, and auspiciousness.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Archana can be traced back to the Mahabharata, an ancient Indian epic. In this epic, Archana is mentioned as the daughter of the sage Shukra and the wife of the demon king Bali.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Archana. One of the most famous was Archana Sharma (1959-2008), an Indian Hindustani classical singer and music composer. She was renowned for her contributions to the Khayal and Thumri genres and received numerous accolades, including the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honors.
Another notable Archana was Archana Puran Singh (born 1961), an Indian actress, comedian, and television host. She is best known for her roles in various Bollywood films and her appearances on popular comedy shows like "The Kapil Sharma Show."
In the field of literature, Archana Venkatesan (born 1975) is a renowned Indian author and journalist. She has written several books, including the acclaimed novel "The Sharper Word: A Modern Hindu Woman on Ancient Commentary."
Archana Ramasundaram (born 1968) is an Indian social entrepreneur and the founder of Aachi Charitable Trust, an organization dedicated to empowering rural women through education and livelihood opportunities.
Archana Vijaya (born 1985) is an Indian classical dancer and choreographer. She is known for her performances in the Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam dance styles and has received numerous awards for her contributions to the art form.
These are just a few examples of prominent individuals who have borne the name Archana throughout history. The name continues to hold significance and appeal in various parts of the world, particularly in India and among the Hindu diaspora.
People
Archana + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Archana 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
Archana: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Archana?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 393 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Archana 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 872,148 US residents.
Is Archana a common name?
We classify Archana as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 408 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Archana most popular?
The single biggest year for Archana was 1989, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Archana is about 31 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Archana a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Archana in the SSA data are female. 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.