Damar
A masculine name of Persian origin meaning "the light of dawn".
Name Census estimates that about 1,102 living Americans carry the first name Damar. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Damar today is around 27 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Damar births was 1990 (37 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Damar. 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
1.1K
~ 1 in 311,029 Americans
Peak year
1990
37 babies that year
Average age
27
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,945
Tracked since 1972
Gender
Gender distribution for Damar
Out of the 1,130 babies given the name Damar since 1880, 99.6% were registered as male. The name sits firmly on the male side of the spectrum, with only a handful of female registrations across the entire dataset.
Damar as a male name
- Ranked #5,945 in 2024
- 15 male births in 2024
- Peak: 1990 (37 births)
Damar as a female name
- Ranked #15,916 in 2001
- 5 female births in 2001
- Peak: 2001 (5 births)
Popularity
Damar: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Damar from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 273 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Damar remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Damar 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 Damar during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Damars live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. California, Pennsylvania, Michigan recorded the most babies named Damar, while New York, New Jersey, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 11 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Damar
The name Damar finds its roots in ancient Sanskrit, the classical language of the Indian subcontinent. It is derived from the word "dama," which means "self-control" or "restraint." The name's origins can be traced back to the Vedic period, which spanned from around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE, during the height of the Indus Valley Civilization.
Damar was a name bestowed upon individuals who were believed to possess qualities of discipline, composure, and inner strength. In the ancient Hindu scriptures, such as the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita, the concept of "dama" is often mentioned as a virtue essential for spiritual growth and the attainment of enlightenment.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Damar can be found in the epic Sanskrit poem, the Mahabharata, which dates back to around the 8th century BCE. The text mentions a character named Damar, who was a skilled warrior and a wise advisor to the Pandava princes.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Damar. One such figure was Damar Pant (1550-1617), a renowned Nepalese poet and scholar who contributed significantly to the literary and cultural heritage of Nepal. His works, written in the Nepali language, explored themes of spirituality, love, and the human condition.
Another prominent figure was Damar Singh (1775-1843), a distinguished military leader and statesman from the princely state of Jodhpur in Rajasthan, India. He played a crucial role in the Anglo-Maratha Wars, serving as a commander in the Maratha army and later forging alliances with the British East India Company.
In the realm of art, Damar Murad (1924-2011) was a celebrated Pakistani painter and calligrapher. He was renowned for his vibrant depictions of landscapes, portraits, and calligraphic compositions, blending traditional Islamic art forms with modern techniques.
Damar Bachi (1801-1872) was a renowned Afghan poet and mystic who wrote extensively in the Pashto language. His works, often imbued with Sufi influences, explored themes of love, spirituality, and the human condition, earning him widespread acclaim throughout the region.
Lastly, Damar Brahmbhatt (1908-1989) was an influential Indian lawyer and politician who served as the Speaker of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly from 1967 to 1972. He was widely respected for his integrity, knowledge of parliamentary procedures, and commitment to upholding the principles of democracy.
People
Damar + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Damar 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
Damar: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Damar?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,102 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Damar 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 311,029 US residents.
Is Damar a common name?
We classify Damar as "Rare". It ranks above 90.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,130 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Damar most popular?
The single biggest year for Damar was 1990, when 37 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Damar is about 27 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Damar a male name?
Yes, 99.6% of people registered as Damar 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.