Bugra
A Turkish masculine given name meaning strong or powerful.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Bugra. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Bugra today is around 23 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Bugra births was 2003 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Bugra. 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 Bugra with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Bugra. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2003
5 babies that year
Average age
23
years old
2003 SSA rank
#11,119
Tracked since 2003
Popularity
Bugra: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Bugra 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 Bugra during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Bugra
The name Bugra has its roots in the Turkic languages, originating from the Old Turkic word "buğra," which translates to "young camel" or "male camel." This name traces its origins back to the ancient nomadic tribes of Central Asia, where camels played a crucial role in sustaining their way of life.
The earliest known usage of the name Bugra can be found in the historical records of the Turkic peoples, particularly the Göktürks, who ruled a vast empire spanning from the Black Sea to the Chinese borders during the 6th and 7th centuries AD. The name appears in various inscriptions and manuscripts from this period, often associated with notable figures or warriors.
One of the most famous historical figures bearing the name Bugra was Bugra Khan, a renowned ruler of the Seljuk Empire in the 11th century. Born in 1007, he ascended to the throne in 1037 and ruled over a vast territory stretching from the Mediterranean to the borders of India. Bugra Khan is celebrated for his military prowess and his patronage of the arts and sciences.
In the realm of literature, the name Bugra finds mention in the epic poem "Dede Korkut," a foundational work of Turkic oral tradition. One of the legendary heroes in this epic is named Buğra, further solidifying the name's significance within the cultural heritage of the Turkic peoples.
Another notable figure named Bugra was Bugra Bey, a prominent Anatolian ruler who lived during the 13th century. He played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Anatolian Beyliks, which were principalities that emerged in the aftermath of the decline of the Seljuk Empire.
In more recent history, the name Bugra was borne by Bugra Safvet Atabinen, a Turkish diplomat and politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century. Born in 1858, he played a significant role in the diplomacy of the Ottoman Empire during a turbulent period.
While the name Bugra has its origins in the Turkic cultures, it has also found usage in other parts of the world, particularly in regions with historical connections to the Turkic peoples. However, the name remains deeply rooted in the rich cultural heritage of Central Asia and Anatolia, carrying with it the echoes of ancient nomadic traditions and historical legacies.
People
Bugra + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Bugra as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Bugra: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Bugra?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Bugra 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Bugra a common name?
We classify Bugra as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Bugra most popular?
The single biggest year for Bugra was 2003, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Bugra is about 23 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 Bugra in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Bugra a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Bugra 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 Bugra still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Bugra 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 Bugra 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 share the name Bugra?
Want to know how many Americans are named Bugra? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.