Daksh
A masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "capable" or "skilled".
Name Census estimates that about 718 living Americans carry the first name Daksh. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Daksh today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Daksh births was 2019 (60 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Daksh. 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
718
~ 1 in 477,374 Americans
Peak year
2019
60 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,053
Tracked since 2004
Popularity
Daksh: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Daksh from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 396 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Daksh remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Daksh 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 Daksh during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Dakshs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. California, New Jersey, Texas recorded the most babies named Daksh, while Georgia, Washington, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 45 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Daksh
The name Daksh has its roots in the Sanskrit language, tracing its origin to ancient Indian culture and Hindu mythology. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "daksha," which means "skilled," "capable," or "efficient." This name is believed to have been in use since the Vedic period, which dates back to around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE.
One of the earliest and most notable references to the name Daksh can be found in the Hindu scriptures, particularly the Puranas. In Hindu mythology, Daksha is a prominent figure, known as the lord of creatures and the chief of the Prajapatis (progenitors of mankind). He is described as the son of Lord Brahma and is credited with the creation of various beings, including gods, demons, and humans.
The earliest recorded use of the name Daksh can be traced back to the 5th century BCE. One of the earliest known individuals with this name was Daksha Smriti, an ancient Indian philosopher and lawgiver who lived during the Vedic period. His work, known as the Daksha Smriti, is a treatise on Hindu law and ethics.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Daksh. One such individual was Daksha Prajapati (born around the 7th century BCE), a prominent sage and teacher in ancient India. He is mentioned in several Hindu texts, including the Mahabharata and the Puranas.
Another significant figure with the name Daksh was Daksha Bhargava (born around the 3rd century BCE), a renowned astronomer and mathematician from ancient India. He is credited with developing the concept of the smallest unit of time, known as the "truti," and contributed to the field of astronomy and calendrical calculations.
In the field of literature, Daksh Vidyavachaspati (born around the 12th century CE) was a notable Indian scholar and poet. He authored several works, including the "Daksha-Smriti-Vivarana," a commentary on the Daksha Smriti.
More recently, Daksh Gupta (1909-1984) was a prominent Indian freedom fighter and politician. He actively participated in the Indian independence movement and later served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India, which drafted the country's constitution.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have borne the name Daksh throughout history, reflecting its deep-rooted cultural significance and its association with skill, capability, and efficiency in various fields.
People
Daksh + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Daksh 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
Daksh: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Daksh?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 718 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Daksh 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 477,374 US residents.
Is Daksh a common name?
We classify Daksh as "Very Rare". It ranks above 87.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 724 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Daksh most popular?
The single biggest year for Daksh was 2019, when 60 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Daksh is about 11 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Daksh a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Daksh 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.
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.