Kamala
A feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "lotus" or "pale red".
Name Census estimates that about 1,157 living Americans carry the first name Kamala. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kamala today is around 44 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kamala births was 1964 (105 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kamala. 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
1.2K
~ 1 in 296,244 Americans
Peak year
1964
105 babies that year
Average age
44
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,146
Tracked since 1955
Popularity
Kamala: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kamala from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 463 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kamala 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 Kamala during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kamalas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 9 states and territories. California, New York, Texas recorded the most babies named Kamala, while Oklahoma, North Carolina, Virginia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 20 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kamala
Kamala is a name with its origins in the Sanskrit language, tracing back to ancient India. It is derived from the Sanskrit words "kamal" or "kamala," meaning lotus or pale red lotus flower. The lotus holds immense significance in Hindu mythology and culture, symbolizing divine beauty, purity, and spiritual enlightenment.
The name Kamala finds its earliest historical references in Hindu religious texts and ancient Sanskrit literature. In the Puranas, a collection of ancient Hindu scriptures, Kamala is one of the names given to the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, the embodiment of beauty, prosperity, and good fortune. The lotus is closely associated with Lakshmi, and she is often depicted sitting or standing on a lotus flower.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kamala is found in the ancient Indian epic, the Ramayana, which dates back to the 7th or 8th century BCE. In this epic, Kamala is the name of a celestial nymph, revered for her beauty and grace.
Throughout history, the name Kamala has been borne by several notable individuals. One of the earliest was Kamala Devi (1902-1988), an Indian freedom fighter and social reformer who played a pivotal role in the Indian independence movement alongside Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.
Another prominent figure was Kamala Markandaya (1924-2004), an Indian novelist and journalist who gained international acclaim for her novels depicting the struggles and challenges faced by women in a rapidly changing India.
In the realm of performing arts, Kamala Lakshmi (1940-2004) was a renowned Indian classical dancer and choreographer, known for her contributions to the revival and promotion of the Bharatanatyam dance form.
Kamala Das (1934-2009) was a celebrated Indian English poet and writer, recognized for her honest and candid exploration of themes such as love, desire, and the complexities of relationships.
Kamala Nehru (1899-1936), the wife of Jawaharlal Nehru, was an influential figure in the Indian independence movement and an ardent supporter of women's rights and education.
While the name Kamala has its roots in ancient India and Hindu culture, it has transcended borders and gained popularity across various regions and communities worldwide, symbolizing the enduring appeal of the lotus as a symbol of beauty, purity, and spiritual awakening.
People
Kamala + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kamala as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kamala: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kamala?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,157 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kamala 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 296,244 US residents.
Is Kamala a common name?
We classify Kamala as "Rare". It ranks above 91% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,285 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kamala most popular?
The single biggest year for Kamala was 1964, when 105 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kamala is about 44 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kamala a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kamala 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.