Kapish
A name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from Hindi kapish, meaning "understood".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Kapish. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kapish today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kapish births was 2008 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kapish. 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 Kapish. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2008
5 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2008 SSA rank
#13,577
Tracked since 2008
Popularity
Kapish: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kapish 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 Kapish during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Kapish
The name Kapish has its origins in the ancient Sanskrit language, which was prominent in the Indian subcontinent during the Vedic period, dating back to around 1500-500 BCE. It is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "kapisha," which means "brown" or "tawny." This suggests that the name may have originally been used to describe someone with a particular skin tone or hair color.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kapish can be found in the ancient Hindu scriptures known as the Vedas, which were composed between 1500-500 BCE. In these texts, there are references to a sage or rishi named Kapish who is mentioned as a contributor to certain hymns and mantras.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Kapish. One of the earliest was Kapish Nath, a renowned Indian philosopher and mystic who lived in the 8th century CE. He is credited with establishing the Nath Sampradaya, a spiritual tradition that emphasizes the concept of achieving liberation through yoga and meditation.
Another prominent figure with the name Kapish was Kapish Chandra Bhattacharya, an influential Bengali scholar and poet who lived from 1869 to 1938. He was a prolific writer and contributed significantly to the revival of the Bengali literary tradition during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
In the field of music, Kapish Ginwala was a celebrated Indian classical vocalist and composer who lived from 1924 to 2004. He was a master of the Khyal genre and was awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest civilian honors, for his contributions to the arts.
The name Kapish also has a historical presence in the realm of politics and social activism. Kapish Kaul was an Indian freedom fighter and social reformer who lived from 1895 to 1977. He played a significant role in the Indian independence movement and worked tirelessly to promote education and improve the lives of underprivileged communities.
Finally, in the world of sports, Kapish Mehta was a renowned Indian cricketer who played for the national team in the 1980s and 1990s. He was a skilled all-rounder and represented India in both Test matches and One Day Internationals, earning recognition for his outstanding performances on the field.
People
Kapish + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kapish 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
Kapish: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kapish?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kapish 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 Kapish a common name?
We classify Kapish 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 Kapish most popular?
The single biggest year for Kapish was 2008, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kapish is about 18 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 Kapish in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kapish a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kapish 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 Kapish still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kapish 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 Kapish 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 Kapish?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.