Maadhav
An Indian masculine name meaning "Lord of the Earth".
Name Census estimates that about 15 living Americans carry the first name Maadhav. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Maadhav today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Maadhav births was 2013 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Maadhav. 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 Maadhav with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Maadhav. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
15
~ 1 in 22,850,289 Americans
Peak year
2013
5 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2018 SSA rank
#13,391
Tracked since 2013
Popularity
Maadhav: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Maadhav 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 Maadhav during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 15 | 0 | 15 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Maadhav
The name Maadhav is derived from the Sanskrit language and has its origins in ancient Indian culture and Hindu mythology. It is a masculine name that is closely associated with the Hindu deity Vishnu, who is one of the principal deities in Hinduism.
The name Maadhav is a combination of two Sanskrit words: "Maa" meaning "mother" and "Dhava" meaning "husband." Together, the name can be interpreted as "husband of the goddess Lakshmi," who is considered the consort of Vishnu. This connection to Vishnu and Lakshmi makes the name Maadhav a revered and auspicious name in Hindu tradition.
In ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, such as the Puranas and the Mahabharata, Maadhav is mentioned as one of the many names or epithets used to address Lord Vishnu. The name is found in various hymns, prayers, and invocations dedicated to Vishnu, reflecting the name's deep-rooted spiritual significance.
While the exact origins of the name's usage are difficult to pinpoint, some of the earliest recorded examples of individuals bearing the name Maadhav can be found in ancient Indian historical records and literary works. One notable figure was Maadhav Acharya, a renowned Indian philosopher and scholar who lived in the 14th century CE. He was a prominent figure in the Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy and was known for his influential works on the subject.
Another prominent individual with the name Maadhav was Maadhav Rao Scindia, a Maratha ruler and statesman who lived in the 18th century CE (1730-1794). He was a prominent leader during the decline of the Maratha Empire and played a significant role in the political landscape of that era.
In the field of literature, Maadhav Ghosh (1822-1888) was a notable Bengali writer and poet from the 19th century. He was a prominent figure in the Bengali Renaissance and contributed significantly to the development of modern Bengali literature.
Maadhav Bhandari (1880-1950) was a renowned Indian social reformer and freedom fighter from the early 20th century. He was actively involved in the Indian independence movement and worked towards the upliftment of underprivileged communities.
Maadhav Das (1917-2012) was a respected Indian classical singer and exponent of the Dhrupad style of Hindustani classical music. He was awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian honor, for his contributions to the field of music.
The name Maadhav, with its rich cultural and spiritual heritage, continues to be a popular choice among Hindus, particularly in India and the Indian diaspora around the world. Its connection to the revered deity Vishnu and the auspicious meanings associated with it have made it a cherished and significant name in Indian culture and tradition.
People
Maadhav + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Maadhav as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Maadhav: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Maadhav?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 15 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Maadhav 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 22,850,289 US residents.
Is Maadhav a common name?
We classify Maadhav as "Very Rare". It ranks above 35.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 15 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Maadhav most popular?
The single biggest year for Maadhav was 2013, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Maadhav is about 11 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 Maadhav in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Maadhav a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Maadhav 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 Maadhav still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Maadhav 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 Maadhav 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 Maadhav?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.