Govind
A masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "Lord of all that exists".
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the first name Govind. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Govind today is around 19 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Govind births was 2001 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Govind. 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 Govind with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
125
~ 1 in 2,742,035 Americans
Peak year
2001
11 babies that year
Average age
19
years old
2022 SSA rank
#13,004
Tracked since 1999
Census
Govind in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 715 people with the first name Govind, which placed it at #15,935 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name at the time of the Census.
The SSA sections elsewhere on this page answer a different question: how often parents gave the name to babies over time. The "people living today" figure on this page is different again: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two numbers are not expected to match exactly.
2020 Census rank
#15,935
National first-name rank
People counted
715
715 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
0.2
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
Asian and Pacific Islander
92.3% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Govind
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Govind is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.3%. The next largest groups are White (3.1%) and Two or More Races (1.7%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself.
The bar chart below shows how people with the first name Govind described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given name, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown so the breakdown is easy to read across every published category. Because the 2020 Census first-name file also includes raw headcounts for each group, Name Census can show those alongside the percentages in the legend and hover tooltip.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A first name does not determine a person's race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the name Govind at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander92.3% · 660
- White3.1% · 22
- Two or more races1.7% · 12
- Black or African American1.4% · 10
- Hispanic or Latino1.3% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 2
Popularity
Govind: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Govind from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 85 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Govind 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 Govind 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 Govind
The name Govind finds its origin in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that dates back to the 2nd millennium BCE. It is a name that has been used in the Indian subcontinent for centuries and is closely associated with Hindu culture and religion.
Govind is a compound word derived from the Sanskrit words "go" meaning "cow" or "earth," and "vinda" meaning "one who finds" or "obtainer." The name can be interpreted as "the one who protects and nourishes the Earth" or "the one who finds and provides sustenance."
The name Govind is prominently mentioned in Hindu scriptures, particularly in the Bhagavad Gita, where it is used as an epithet for Lord Krishna, one of the most revered deities in Hinduism. Krishna is often referred to as "Govinda" or "Govind" in these sacred texts, emphasizing his role as the protector and sustainer of the Earth and all living beings.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Govind can be found in the Aitareya Brahmana, an ancient Sanskrit text composed around the 8th century BCE. This text contains a list of names, including Govind, which were used to address various deities or divine concepts.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Govind. One of the most celebrated is Govind Singh (1666-1708), the 10th and last living Guru of the Sikh faith. He played a crucial role in the defense of the Sikh community and is revered for his bravery and leadership.
Another prominent individual with the name Govind was Govind Swami (1823-1892), a renowned Indian spiritual leader and philosopher. He was a prominent figure in the Brahmo Samaj movement and made significant contributions to the reform of Hinduism.
Govind Vallabh Pant (1887-1961) was an Indian freedom fighter and statesman who served as the first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh after India's independence. He played a vital role in the Indian independence movement and was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi.
Govind Narain (1916-1997) was an Indian mathematician and statistician who made significant contributions to the field of statistical theory. He is best known for his work on the theory of sampling and estimation.
Govind Narayan Mukherjee (1901-1985) was a renowned Indian artist and sculptor. He is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of modern Indian art and is known for his unique style that blended traditional Indian elements with modern techniques.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals who have borne the name Govind throughout history, reflecting its deep-rooted cultural and religious significance in the Indian subcontinent.
People
Govind + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Govind as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Govind: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Govind?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 125 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Govind 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 2,742,035 US residents.
Is Govind a common name?
We classify Govind as "Very Rare". It ranks above 67.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 126 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Govind most popular?
The single biggest year for Govind was 2001, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Govind is about 19 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Govind in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 715 people with the name Govind, or 0.24 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #15,935 in the national Census ranking for first names.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census figure is a count of people who had the name Govind in 2020. The living estimate aims to answer a current question instead: how many people with the name are alive today, based on SSA birth records and age-based survival rates. Since one number is a 2020 snapshot and the other is a present-day estimate, they are not expected to be identical.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Govind?
In the 2020 Census sex table, Govind appears almost entirely male. Of the 710 people counted with this name, 99.7% were male and only a very small share were female. The Census view is a snapshot of people living with the name in 2020, while the SSA section above tracks births across time.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Govind?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Govind is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.3%. The next largest groups are White (3.1%) and Two or More Races (1.7%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself. The percentages in the chart above come from self-reported race and Hispanic-origin responses in the 2020 Census.
Which group reports the name Govind most often in the Census?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest reported group for people named Govind in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.3% (660 people in the published table).
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census Bureau published separate 2020 tables for sex and for race/Hispanic origin, and the released figures can differ slightly because of privacy protection in the public files. That is why this page treats the gender section and the race/origin section as two related snapshots instead of forcing them into one identical total.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only includes names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files have no Census demographic snapshot. When that happens, the SSA trend, gender history, and state sections still appear, but the 2020 Census demographic sections are omitted.
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 Govind in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Govind a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Govind in the SSA data are male. 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 Govind still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Govind 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 Govind 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.
How many people have the name Govind?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the name Govind on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.