Find out how popular the first name Keshav has been for the last 37 years (from 1987 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Keshav by gender

Based on the last 37 years of data, Keshav is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 64 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Keshav.

The history of the first name Keshav

The name Keshav is of Hindu origin and is believed to have originated in ancient India. It is a Sanskrit name derived from the words "Kesha," meaning hair, and "Va," meaning having or possessing. Thus, the name Keshav can be interpreted as "one with beautiful hair" or "long-haired one."

The name Keshav has deep roots in Hindu mythology and is one of the many names associated with Lord Vishnu, the preserver and protector deity in the Hindu trinity. In the sacred Hindu text, the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is referred to as Keshav.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Keshav can be found in the ancient Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, which is dated between the 8th and 9th centuries BCE. In this epic, Keshav is mentioned as one of the many names of Lord Krishna.

Throughout history, there have been several notable figures who bore the name Keshav. One of the most famous was Keshav Baliram Hedgewar (1889-1940), the founder of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a prominent Hindu nationalist organization in India.

Another notable figure was Keshav Prasad Mishra (1918-2006), an Indian politician and freedom fighter who served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, from 1962 to 1963.

In the realm of literature, Keshav Pandurang Sathe (1919-2001) was a renowned Marathi writer, poet, and playwright who made significant contributions to Marathi literature. He was awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian honor, in 1998.

Keshav Krishnarao Bhole (1914-1990) was an Indian mathematician and statistician who made notable contributions to the field of probability theory and stochastic processes.

Lastly, Keshav Prasad Chandra (1820-1901) was a renowned Indian historian and writer who authored several books on Indian history and culture, including "The Modern History of India" and "The Travels of a Hindu."

While the name Keshav is primarily associated with Hinduism, it has transcended religious boundaries and is used by people of various faiths and backgrounds, particularly in India and other parts of South Asia.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Keshav was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Keshav, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!