Deven
A masculine name of Indian origin meaning "little god".
Name Census estimates that about 11,649 living Americans carry the first name Deven. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 89.0% of registrations being male. The average person named Deven today is around 27 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Deven births was 2000 (531 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Deven. 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
12K
~ 1 in 29,423 Americans
Peak year
2000
531 babies that year
Average age
27
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,597
Tracked since 1954
Gender
Gender distribution for Deven
Deven leans heavily male at 89.0% of total registrations, but 1,315 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Deven as a male name
- Ranked #2,597 in 2024
- 51 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2000 (491 births)
Deven as a female name
- Ranked #13,880 in 2024
- 6 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1978 (76 births)
Popularity
Deven: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Deven from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 4,500 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Deven 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 Deven during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Devens live
The SSA's state-level files cover 45 states and territories. California, Texas, New York recorded the most babies named Deven, while South Dakota, Nebraska, Hawaii recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 183 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Deven
The name Deven is of Sanskrit origin, tracing its roots back to ancient India. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "deva," meaning "deity" or "divine." The name is believed to have been in use since the Vedic period, which spanned from around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE.
In Hindu mythology, the term "deva" is often used to refer to celestial beings or deities. The name Deven is thought to have been given to individuals with the hope that they would embody the qualities of divinity, such as purity, wisdom, and spiritual enlightenment.
The earliest recorded use of the name Deven can be found in ancient Hindu texts, such as the Vedas and the Puranas. These sacred scriptures mention individuals with names derived from "deva," indicating the name's long-standing presence in Indian culture.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Deven. One of the earliest recorded individuals was Deven Rishi, a revered sage who is believed to have lived around the 8th century BCE. He is renowned for his contributions to the development of Hindu philosophy and his teachings on spirituality.
Another prominent figure was Deven Bhagat, a 13th-century Indian mystic and poet who composed devotional songs and verses. His works continue to be celebrated and recited in parts of India to this day.
In more recent times, Deven Sharma (1919-2007) was an influential Indian philosopher and author who wrote extensively on Hinduism and Indian culture. His books, such as "Classical Indian Philosophy" and "The Philosophy of Sadhana," are widely studied and respected.
Deven Verma (1941-2019) was an Indian actor and director who made significant contributions to the Bollywood film industry. He is remembered for his performances in critically acclaimed movies, as well as his work as a director and producer.
Deven Bhagwandas Patel (1924-2010) was an Indian cricketer who played for the Indian national team in the 1940s and 1950s. He was a right-handed batsman and wicket-keeper, and is considered one of the pioneers of Indian cricket.
The name Deven has retained its cultural significance and continues to be popular in various parts of the world, particularly in India and among the Indian diaspora. Its connection to ancient Hindu traditions and its association with divinity have contributed to its enduring appeal.
People
Deven + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Deven 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
Deven: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Deven?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11,649 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Deven 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 29,423 US residents.
Is Deven a common name?
We classify Deven as "Uncommon". It ranks above 97.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11,942 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Deven most popular?
The single biggest year for Deven was 2000, when 531 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Deven is about 27 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Deven a male name?
Yes, 89.0% of people registered as Deven 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.