Gopi first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Gopi has been for the last 23 years (from 1978 to 2000) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Gopi

A masculine Hindu name meaning "protector of cows".

Popularity of Gopi by gender

Based on the last 23 years of data, Gopi is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2000, there were 6 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Gopi.

Year Male Count Female Count
2000 0 6
1996 0 9
1993 0 9
1991 0 5
1990 0 5
1988 0 6
1987 0 5
1978 0 6

The history of the first name Gopi

The name Gopi is of Sanskrit origin and is primarily associated with Hindu culture. It has been in use since ancient times, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the Vedic period in India, which spans from around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE.

The word "gopi" in Sanskrit translates to "cowherd" or "milkmaid." In Hindu mythology, the name is closely tied to Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of the god Vishnu. According to the Bhagavata Purana, one of the most revered Hindu scriptures, the gopis were the cowherding companions and devotees of Lord Krishna during his childhood in the village of Vrindavan.

One of the most famous gopis in Hindu mythology is Radha, who is considered to be the embodiment of divine love and devotion to Lord Krishna. The relationship between Radha and Krishna is celebrated in numerous devotional songs, poems, and artistic works across various Indian traditions.

Throughout history, the name Gopi has been borne by several notable figures. One of the earliest recorded instances is Gopi Chand, a 14th-century Indian mystic and yogi who is credited with establishing the Nath tradition of yoga and is revered as a saint in parts of India and Nepal.

Another prominent figure was Gopi Krishna, an Indian philosopher and yogi who lived from 1903 to 1984. He is best known for his autobiographical work "Kundalini: The Evolutionary Energy in Man," which details his experiences with the awakening of the kundalini energy.

In the field of music, Gopi Krishna (1938-1994) was a renowned Indian classical vocalist and composer who specialized in the Dhrupad and Dhamar styles. He was awarded several prestigious honors, including the Padma Shri and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

Gopi Chand Narang (1917-2011) was a prominent Indian scholar, writer, and educationist who made significant contributions to the study of Urdu literature and Sufism. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian honor, in 2009.

In the realm of sports, Gopi Thonakal (born 1982) is an Indian badminton player who has represented India in numerous international tournaments and won several titles, including the Commonwealth Games gold medal in the women's singles event in 2010.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Gopi was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Gopi, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Gopi first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 7, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/gopi-meaning-and-history/.

"Gopi first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/gopi-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 7 May, 2025

Gopi first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/gopi-meaning-and-history/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.