Mantra
A Sanskrit word meaning a sacred utterance or spiritual chant.
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Mantra. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Mantra today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mantra births was 2011 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mantra. 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 Mantra with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Mantra. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
2011
5 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2015 SSA rank
#13,314
Tracked since 2011
Popularity
Mantra: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Mantra 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 Mantra 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 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Mantra
The name Mantra finds its roots in the Sanskrit language, originating from ancient India. It is derived from the word "man," meaning "to think," and "tra," which signifies a tool or instrument. The term mantra, therefore, translates to a tool for contemplation or a sacred utterance.
In Hinduism, mantras have been an integral part of spiritual practices since ancient times. They are believed to hold mystical powers and are recited during rituals, meditations, and ceremonies. The earliest known references to mantras are found in the Vedas, the ancient Hindu scriptures dating back to around 1500 BCE.
One of the most renowned historical figures associated with the name Mantra is the 8th-century Indian scholar and philosopher, Adi Shankara. He was a proponent of Advaita Vedanta, a school of Hindu philosophy that emphasizes the unity of the individual soul with the Supreme Brahman. Shankara composed numerous mantras and commentaries on sacred texts.
Another notable figure is Mantra Bhushandasji (1833-1898), a revered Jain poet and scholar from Rajasthan, India. He authored several spiritual works, including the renowned "Bhaktamar Stotra," a collection of devotional hymns and mantras.
In the realm of Buddhism, Mantra Nath (1033-1109) was a renowned Indian Buddhist scholar and teacher. He played a significant role in the spread of Buddhism in Tibet and is credited with introducing the practice of Vajrayana Buddhism, which incorporates the use of mantras and visualization techniques.
Moving to more recent times, Mantra Murti (1913-2003) was an influential spiritual leader and founder of the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University, a spiritual organization headquartered in India. She emphasized the power of positive thought and the use of mantras for personal transformation.
Throughout history, the name Mantra has been associated with individuals who have dedicated their lives to spiritual pursuits, the study of sacred texts, and the practice of mantras as a means of attaining inner peace and enlightenment.
People
Mantra + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mantra 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
Mantra: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mantra?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mantra 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Mantra a common name?
We classify Mantra as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mantra most popular?
The single biggest year for Mantra was 2011, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mantra is about 13 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 Mantra in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Mantra a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Mantra 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 Mantra still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Mantra 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 Mantra 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 Mantra?
Find out how many people share the name Mantra on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.