Daks
A masculine name of Sanskrit origin, a variant of Daksha meaning "ability" or "skilled".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Daks. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Daks today is around 46 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Daks births was 1977 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Daks. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Daks. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1977
6 babies that year
Average age
46
years old
1977 SSA rank
#5,260
Tracked since 1977
Popularity
Daks: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Daks 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 Daks during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Daks
The name Daks has its origins in the ancient Sanskrit language of India, dating back to the 2nd century BCE. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "daksha," which means "skilled," "able," or "competent." The name was initially associated with individuals who possessed exceptional abilities or talents in various fields.
In the Hindu scriptures, particularly the Puranas, there are references to a sage named Daksha, who was considered the chief of the Prajapatis (progenitors of beings). He is described as a skilled and proficient figure, renowned for his wisdom and expertise in the performance of sacrificial rituals.
The earliest recorded use of the name Daks can be traced back to the Gupta Empire, which ruled over parts of modern-day India and Pakistan from the 4th to the 6th century CE. During this period, the name was borne by several individuals, including Daks Sharma, a renowned scholar and author who wrote extensively on philosophy and the sciences.
Throughout history, the name Daks has been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields. For instance, Daks Vidyarthi (1835-1892) was an Indian social reformer and educationist who played a vital role in the establishment of modern education systems in India.
Another notable figure was Daks Pathak (1890-1972), an Indian freedom fighter and politician who actively participated in the Indian independence movement against British colonial rule. He served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, a state in northern India, from 1951 to 1952.
In the realm of literature, Daks Nagarkar (1933-2012) was a prominent Indian writer and playwright. He is best known for his critically acclaimed novels and plays that explored themes of social injustice and human relationships.
The name Daks has also found its way into the field of sports. Daks Bedi (born 1943) is a former Indian cricketer who represented the Indian national team in the 1960s and 1970s. He was known for his exceptional batting skills and is considered one of the finest batsmen of his era.
Lastly, Daks Goswami (born 1975) is a contemporary Indian film director and screenwriter. He has received critical acclaim for his thought-provoking and socially relevant films that address complex issues in modern Indian society.
People
Daks + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Daks as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Daks: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Daks?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Daks 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Daks a common name?
We classify Daks as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Daks most popular?
The single biggest year for Daks was 1977, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Daks is about 46 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 Daks in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Daks a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Daks 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 Daks still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Daks 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 Daks 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 called Daks?
You can see how many Americans are named Daks on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.