Devra
An anglicized feminine form of the Hebrew Devorah, meaning "bee".
Name Census estimates that about 621 living Americans carry the first name Devra. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Devra today is around 59 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Devra births was 1955 (34 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Devra. 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
621
~ 1 in 551,939 Americans
Peak year
1955
34 babies that year
Average age
59
years old
1995 SSA rank
#12,183
Tracked since 1944
Popularity
Devra: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Devra from the 1940s through to the 1990s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 224 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Devra 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 Devra during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Devras live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, Kansas, Kentucky recorded the most babies named Devra, while Kentucky, Kansas, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 15 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Devra
The name Devra is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that dates back to the 2nd millennium BCE. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "deva," which means "divine" or "heavenly." The name is thought to have been first used in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in regions where Hinduism and Buddhism were prevalent religions.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Devra can be found in the Hindu scriptures known as the Vedas, which date back to around 1500 BCE. In these ancient texts, the name is often associated with deities and celestial beings, reflecting its divine connotations.
In the 6th century BCE, the name Devra gained prominence with the birth of a renowned Buddhist scholar and monk named Devra Nāgārjuna. He is widely regarded as the founder of the Madhyamaka school of Mahayana Buddhism and is celebrated for his influential philosophical works, such as the "Mūlamadhyamakakārikā."
During the medieval period, the name Devra was adopted by various Hindu and Buddhist communities across South Asia. One notable figure from this era was Devra Dāsa, a 15th-century Hindu poet and saint from the Bhakti tradition. His devotional compositions, known as "padas," are still widely recited and celebrated in parts of India.
In the 16th century, a Sikh warrior and poet named Devra Singh gained recognition for his contributions to the Sikh faith. He is remembered for his bravery in battles and his literary works that promoted the teachings of Sikhism.
Another prominent figure bearing the name Devra was Devra Patil, an Indian freedom fighter and social reformer from the 19th century. She played a significant role in the Indian independence movement and advocated for the rights of women and the underprivileged.
While the name Devra has its roots in the Indian subcontinent, it has also been adopted in various forms and spellings by other cultures around the world, reflecting its enduring appeal and spiritual associations.
People
Devra + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Devra 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
Devra: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Devra?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 621 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Devra 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 551,939 US residents.
Is Devra a common name?
We classify Devra as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 781 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Devra most popular?
The single biggest year for Devra was 1955, when 34 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Devra is about 59 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Devra a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Devra 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.
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.