Duru
A feminine name of Nigerian origin meaning "steadfast and reliable".
Name Census estimates that about 154 living Americans carry the first name Duru. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Duru today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Duru births was 2014 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Duru. 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 Duru with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
154
~ 1 in 2,225,678 Americans
Peak year
2014
13 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,701
Tracked since 2004
Popularity
Duru: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Duru from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 87 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Duru remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Duru 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 Duru during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Duru
The name Duru has its origins in the Turkic languages, and it is believed to have been derived from the Old Turkic word "dur," which means "standing" or "firm." This name was prevalent among various Turkic ethnic groups, including Turks, Azerbaijanis, and Kazakhs, among others.
In the ancient Turkic cultures, the name Duru was often given to children with the hope that they would grow up to be strong, resilient, and steadfast individuals. It was a name that embodied the values of strength, determination, and perseverance, which were highly regarded in these nomadic societies.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Duru can be found in the Orkhon inscriptions, a series of ancient Turkic inscriptions dating back to the 8th century AD. These inscriptions were erected by the Göktürk Khaganate, one of the most powerful Turkic empires of the time, and they mention several individuals with the name Duru.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Duru. One of the most famous was Duru Khan (1370-1440), a powerful ruler of the Golden Horde, a Mongol-Turkic khanate that ruled over vast territories in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Duru Khan was known for his military prowess and his efforts to strengthen the Golden Horde's power and influence.
Another notable figure was Duru Efendi (1570-1628), an Ottoman calligrapher and poet who was renowned for his mastery of the Arabic script. His works were highly valued and admired, and he is considered one of the most prominent calligraphers of the Ottoman Empire.
In the realm of literature, Duru Yücel (1921-2001) was a celebrated Turkish poet and author. Her works explored themes of love, nature, and the human experience, and she is regarded as one of the most influential voices in modern Turkish literature.
Duru Turan (1923-1979) was a pioneering Turkish architect and urban planner who made significant contributions to the field of architecture in Turkey. Her innovative designs and urban planning projects have left a lasting impact on the country's cityscapes.
Lastly, Duru Öner (born 1951) is a renowned Turkish actress and director who has had a long and successful career in both film and television. She has been recognized for her exceptional performances and has received numerous awards and accolades throughout her career.
People
Duru + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Duru 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
Duru: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Duru?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 154 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Duru 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 2,225,678 US residents.
Is Duru a common name?
We classify Duru as "Very Rare". It ranks above 70.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 155 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Duru most popular?
The single biggest year for Duru was 2014, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Duru is about 11 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 Duru in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Duru a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Duru 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 Duru still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Duru 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 Duru 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 share the name Duru?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.