Kavalli
A feminine name of Telugu origin meaning "flower".
Name Census estimates that about 12 living Americans carry the first name Kavalli. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kavalli today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kavalli births was 2013 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kavalli. 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 Kavalli with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Kavalli. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
12
~ 1 in 28,562,862 Americans
Peak year
2013
6 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2020 SSA rank
#11,311
Tracked since 2013
Popularity
Kavalli: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kavalli from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 6 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kavalli 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 Kavalli 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 Kavalli
The name Kavalli has its origins in the ancient Tamil language, one of the longest surviving classical languages of the Indian subcontinent. It is believed to have emerged around the 5th century BCE in the southern regions of present-day India, particularly in the state of Tamil Nadu.
Kavalli is derived from the Tamil word "kavali," which means "desire" or "longing." The name's roots can be traced back to the rich literary and cultural traditions of the Tamil people, where it was often used to symbolize the human yearning for spiritual enlightenment or the pursuit of knowledge.
Historically, the name Kavalli has been associated with various literary works and religious texts from the Tamil region. One notable mention can be found in the ancient Tamil epic, the Silappadikaram, dated around the 5th century CE. In this epic, Kavalli is the name of a character who symbolizes the virtues of devotion and perseverance.
The earliest recorded individual bearing the name Kavalli is believed to be a renowned Tamil scholar and poet who lived during the 7th century CE. Unfortunately, historical records do not provide their full name or specific dates. However, their contributions to the Tamil literary tradition have been widely celebrated.
Throughout history, several notable figures have carried the name Kavalli. One such individual was Kavalli Nayakkar (c. 1560-1629), a powerful chieftain and ruler in the Tamil region during the 16th and 17th centuries. He is remembered for his military prowess and his role in the expansion of the Madurai Nayak kingdom.
Another prominent figure was Kavalli Azhagiya Singar (1640-1710), a renowned Tamil scholar, poet, and playwright. His works, such as the play "Nalla Thambi," have had a lasting impact on Tamil literature and culture.
In the 19th century, Kavalli Venkata Krishnayyar (1805-1875) was a highly respected scholar and author from the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. He made significant contributions to the study of Sanskrit literature and Hindu philosophy.
Lastly, Kavalli Raghavachariayah (1880-1952) was a prominent Indian freedom fighter and political activist from Tamil Nadu. He played a crucial role in the Indian independence movement, working alongside leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and advocating for the rights of the oppressed classes.
People
Kavalli + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kavalli 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
Kavalli: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kavalli?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kavalli 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 28,562,862 US residents.
Is Kavalli a common name?
We classify Kavalli as "Very Rare". It ranks above 32.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 12 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kavalli most popular?
The single biggest year for Kavalli was 2013, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kavalli is about 9 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 Kavalli in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kavalli a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kavalli 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 Kavalli still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kavalli 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 Kavalli 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 people share the name Kavalli?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.