Devna
A feminine name of uncertain origin and meaning, potentially derived from Sanskrit.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Devna. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Devna today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Devna births was 2018 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Devna. 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 Devna with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Devna. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2018
5 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2018 SSA rank
#16,317
Tracked since 2018
Popularity
Devna: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Devna 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 Devna during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 0 | 5 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Devna
The name Devna is thought to have its origins in the ancient Sanskrit language of India, dating back to around the 3rd century BCE. It is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "devana," which means "divine" or "heavenly," suggesting a connection to the divine realm or celestial beings.
In Hindu mythology, there are references to Devna as a minor deity or celestial nymph associated with beauty, grace, and purity. Some ancient texts, such as the Puranas, mention Devna as a companion or attendant to the more prominent goddesses, serving as a symbol of devotion and spiritual enlightenment.
The earliest known records of the name Devna can be traced back to ancient inscriptions and manuscripts found in various regions of the Indian subcontinent. It is believed that the name gained popularity among certain Hindu communities and was bestowed upon children as a way to invoke divine blessings and protection.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Devna. One of the earliest recorded examples is Devna Acharya, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and grammarian who lived in the 7th century CE. He is credited with contributing significantly to the study and preservation of ancient Sanskrit texts.
Another notable figure was Devna Devi, a 12th-century Hindu mystic and spiritual leader from Rajasthan, India. She was revered for her devotion and wisdom, and her teachings on the path to inner peace and enlightenment continue to influence spiritual seekers to this day.
In the realm of literature, Devna Panikkar was a celebrated Malayalam poet and writer who lived in the 19th century. Her poetic works, which often explored themes of love, nature, and spirituality, played a significant role in shaping the literary landscape of Kerala, India.
Devna Bhattacharya, born in 1876, was a prominent Bengali educator and social reformer. She dedicated her life to empowering women through education and advocating for gender equality, leaving a lasting impact on the educational and social fabric of Bengal.
Lastly, Devna Patil, born in 1922, was a renowned Indian classical dancer and choreographer. She was instrumental in popularizing and preserving the rich traditions of classical Indian dance forms, such as Kathak, and her contributions to the field of dance have been widely recognized and celebrated.
While the name Devna is not as common today as it once was, its historical roots and associations with divinity, beauty, and spiritual enlightenment have endured, making it a name with a rich cultural heritage and profound meaning.
People
Devna + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Devna 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
Devna: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Devna?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Devna 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 Devna a common name?
We classify Devna 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 Devna most popular?
The single biggest year for Devna was 2018, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Devna is about 8 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 Devna in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Devna a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Devna in the SSA data are female. 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 Devna still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Devna 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 Devna 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 named Devna?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.