Ketara
A feminine name of Hindi origin meaning "renowned" or "famous".
Name Census estimates that about 72 living Americans carry the first name Ketara. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ketara today is around 27 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ketara births was 2001 (31 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ketara. 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 Ketara. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
72
~ 1 in 4,760,477 Americans
Peak year
2001
31 babies that year
Average age
27
years old
2002 SSA rank
#11,659
Tracked since 1988
Popularity
Ketara: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ketara from the 1980s through to the 2000s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 63 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
Ketara 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 Ketara during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Ketaras live
Origin
Meaning and history of Ketara
The name Ketara originates from the Sanskrit language and has its roots in ancient Indian culture, tracing back to the early centuries of the common era. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "ketar," which means "banner" or "flag," often symbolizing victory, triumph, and pride.
In Hindu mythology, Ketara is associated with the goddess Durga, who is revered as the embodiment of shakti (divine feminine power) and the slayer of demons. The name is believed to have been used as a moniker for warrior princesses and heroic women who displayed strength, courage, and resilience in battle.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Ketara can be found in ancient Indian texts and epics, such as the Mahabharata and the Puranas. One notable figure was Ketara Devi, a legendary warrior queen who ruled over a prosperous kingdom in the 7th century CE. She was renowned for her military prowess and her unwavering dedication to protecting her people.
Another notable bearer of the name was Ketara Sundari, a renowned poet and scholar who lived during the 12th century CE in the court of the Pala Empire in Bengal. Her works celebrated the beauty of nature and the human spirit, and she was highly regarded for her intellectual contributions.
In the 16th century, Ketara Bai was a prominent figure in the Maratha Empire, serving as a trusted advisor and military strategist to the great ruler Shivaji Maharaj. Her tactical insights and bravery on the battlefield played a crucial role in the empire's victories against the Mughal forces.
Ketara Devi Guptara, born in 1842, was a pioneering educator and social reformer in British India. She dedicated her life to promoting women's education and empowerment, establishing several schools and advocating for the abolition of regressive practices like child marriage and the oppression of widows.
While the name Ketara has its origins in ancient India, it has since spread to various parts of the world, transcending cultural and linguistic boundaries. Its enduring essence of strength, resilience, and triumph continues to resonate with parents seeking meaningful names for their daughters.
People
Ketara + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ketara 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
Ketara: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ketara?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 72 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ketara 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 4,760,477 US residents.
Is Ketara a common name?
We classify Ketara as "Very Rare". It ranks above 59.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 74 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ketara most popular?
The single biggest year for Ketara was 2001, when 31 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ketara is about 27 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 Ketara in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ketara a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ketara 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.
Is Ketara still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ketara 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 Ketara 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 have the name Ketara?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.