Dhara
Feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning stream or flow.
Name Census estimates that about 576 living Americans carry the first name Dhara. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Dhara today is around 21 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dhara births was 2024 (28 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dhara. 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
576
~ 1 in 595,060 Americans
Peak year
2024
28 babies that year
Average age
21
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,790
Tracked since 1985
Popularity
Dhara: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dhara from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 185 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1990s peak, Dhara remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dhara 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 Dhara during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Dharas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. New Jersey, Illinois, California recorded the most babies named Dhara, while New York, California, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 21 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Dhara
The name Dhara has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is one of the oldest Indo-Aryan languages and has been the root of many languages spoken in the Indian subcontinent. The word "dhara" in Sanskrit means "stream" or "flow," referring to the natural movement of water.
This name can be traced back to ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, where it was often used as a metaphor for the continuous flow of knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual enlightenment. The name Dhara was particularly revered in Hindu mythology, where it was associated with various deities and sacred rivers.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dhara can be found in the Rigveda, one of the oldest and most sacred Hindu scriptures, dating back to around 1500-1200 BCE. In the Rigveda, the name is mentioned in connection with the goddess Saraswati, who is considered the personification of knowledge, learning, and creativity.
Throughout history, several prominent figures have borne the name Dhara. One notable example is Dhara Shukla, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and poet who lived in the 12th century CE. Her literary works, including the famous Pavanaduta, have been widely celebrated for their poetic excellence and philosophical depth.
Another individual of historical significance is Dhara Singh Rathore, a brave Rajput warrior who lived in the 16th century CE. He played a pivotal role in defending the Rajput kingdoms against the Mughal Empire and is remembered for his valor and loyalty.
In the realm of spirituality, Dhara Mata Shri was a revered saint and mystic who lived in the 15th century CE. She is venerated in parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan for her profound spiritual teachings and her contribution to the Bhakti movement, a Hindu devotional tradition.
The name Dhara has also been associated with notable figures in the field of arts and culture. Dhara Vikas was a celebrated classical dancer and choreographer from the 20th century, renowned for her contributions to the revival and promotion of traditional Indian dance forms.
Lastly, Dhara Patel was a prominent social activist and educator who worked tirelessly for the empowerment of women and underprivileged communities in the early 20th century. Her efforts in promoting education and social reform have left a lasting impact on society.
People
Dhara + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dhara 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
Dhara: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dhara?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 576 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dhara 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 595,060 US residents.
Is Dhara a common name?
We classify Dhara as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 588 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dhara most popular?
The single biggest year for Dhara was 2024, when 28 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dhara is about 21 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Dhara a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dhara 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.