Kru
A unisex Thai name meaning "teacher" or "professor".
Name Census estimates that about 540 living Americans carry the first name Kru. It is a predominantly male name (95.0% of registrations). The average person named Kru today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kru births was 2024 (92 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kru. 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
540
~ 1 in 634,730 Americans
Peak year
2024
92 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,885
Tracked since 2008
Gender
Gender distribution for Kru
Kru leans heavily male at 95.0% of total registrations, but 27 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Kru as a male name
- Ranked #1,885 in 2024
- 85 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (85 births)
Kru as a female name
- Ranked #12,807 in 2024
- 7 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2022 (7 births)
Popularity
Kru: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kru from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 359 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
Kru 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 Kru during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Krus live
The SSA's state-level files cover 9 states and territories. Texas, California, Georgia recorded the most babies named Kru, while Ohio, Missouri, Indiana recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 13 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kru
The name Kru has its origins in the Thai language and culture, with its earliest recorded usage dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Thai word "kru," which means teacher or mentor, reflecting the reverence and respect accorded to educators in Thai society.
During the Ayutthaya Kingdom period (1351-1767), the word "kru" was commonly used as a title of honor for Buddhist monks and scholars who imparted knowledge and wisdom to their students. The name Kru, therefore, carried connotations of wisdom, discipline, and the pursuit of knowledge.
One of the earliest documented references to the name Kru can be found in the Phra Malai, a renowned Thai literary work from the late Ayutthaya period. This text features a character named Kru Thongdee, a learned and respected teacher who guides the protagonist through various Buddhist teachings.
Throughout Thai history, several notable individuals have borne the name Kru. Kru Parama (1551-1623), a renowned Buddhist monk and scholar, was instrumental in preserving and promoting the study of traditional Thai medicine and Buddhist scriptures. His teachings and writings continue to influence Thai culture and education to this day.
Kru Bundit (1786-1855), a revered teacher and poet, played a pivotal role in the development of Thai literature during the early Rattanakosin period. His works, such as the epic poem Khun Chang Khun Phan, are considered masterpieces of Thai literature and are widely studied in schools and universities.
Kru Sombat Thammasak (1904-1986), a celebrated educator and author, dedicated his life to improving the Thai education system and promoting the use of the Thai language in academic settings. His contributions to curriculum development and educational reform have left a lasting impact on Thailand's educational landscape.
Kru Jarunee Wongsiripradit (1924-2008), a renowned dance instructor and choreographer, was instrumental in preserving and promoting traditional Thai dance forms. Her dedication to preserving Thailand's cultural heritage earned her numerous accolades, including the prestigious Silpathorn Award.
Kru Lek Khunnaangton (1932-2016), a respected martial arts master, was renowned for his mastery of Muay Thai and his contributions to the preservation and promotion of this ancient Thai martial art. His teachings and philosophies have influenced generations of Muay Thai practitioners around the world.
The name Kru has a rich historical and cultural significance in Thailand, reflecting the deep respect and admiration held for teachers, mentors, and individuals who have dedicated their lives to the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge.
People
Kru + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kru 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
Kru: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kru?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 540 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kru 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 634,730 US residents.
Is Kru a common name?
We classify Kru as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 544 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kru most popular?
The single biggest year for Kru was 2024, when 92 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kru is about 6 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 Kru in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kru a male name?
Yes, 95.0% of people registered as Kru 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 Kru still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kru 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 Kru 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 are called Kru?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.