Ikshan
A masculine Hindu name of Sanskrit origin meaning "Lord or ruler of the world".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Ikshan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Ikshan today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ikshan births was 2018 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ikshan. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Ikshan. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2018
5 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2018 SSA rank
#12,900
Tracked since 2018
Popularity
Ikshan: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Ikshan 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 Ikshan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Ikshan
The name Ikshan has its origins in the ancient Sanskrit language of India, dating back to around the 5th century BCE. It is derived from the Sanskrit words "iksh" meaning "to see" and "anu" meaning "following," suggesting a meaning of "one who follows with insight" or "one who sees clearly."
In Hindu mythology, Ikshan is mentioned as the name of a sage or rishi, known for his profound wisdom and spiritual insight. The name appears in several ancient Hindu texts, including the Puranas and the Upanishads, where it is associated with the pursuit of knowledge and enlightenment.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ikshan can be found in the Mahabharata, the great Indian epic dating back to around the 8th century BCE. In this epic, Ikshan is mentioned as a wise and revered sage who imparted valuable teachings to the Pandava princes.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Ikshan. One of the most famous was Ikshan Nath (1432-1512), a renowned Hindu saint and mystic from the Nath tradition. He was known for his spiritual teachings and his emphasis on the purification of the mind and body through yogic practices.
Another notable figure was Ikshan Sharma (1674-1738), a celebrated Sanskrit scholar and poet from the Mughal era in India. He authored several works on grammar, philosophy, and literature, and his writings were highly influential in preserving and promoting the Sanskrit language and culture.
In the field of music, Ikshan Ghosh (1909-1995) was a renowned Indian classical vocalist and composer. He was a master of the Dhrupad and Khyal styles of Hindustani classical music and made significant contributions to the preservation and promotion of these art forms.
Ikshan Kapoor (1932-1988) was a prominent Indian actor and director in the Bollywood film industry. He is remembered for his versatile performances in both comedic and dramatic roles, and his films often explored social and political themes.
More recently, Ikshan Nair (born 1985) is a contemporary Indian writer and journalist known for his insightful and thought-provoking works on culture, politics, and society. His writings have garnered critical acclaim and have contributed to important discussions on contemporary issues in India.
People
Ikshan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ikshan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ikshan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ikshan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ikshan 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Ikshan a common name?
We classify Ikshan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ikshan most popular?
The single biggest year for Ikshan was 2018, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ikshan is about 8 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 Ikshan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ikshan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ikshan 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 Ikshan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ikshan 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 Ikshan 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 Americans are named Ikshan?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.