Mohan first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Mohan has been for the last 50 years (from 1975 to 2024) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Mohan

A masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "great".

Popularity of Mohan by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Mohan is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2024, there were 13 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Mohan.

Year Male Count Female Count
2024 13 0
2023 15 0
2022 12 0
2021 11 0
2020 9 0
2019 8 0
2018 13 0
2017 6 0
2016 12 0
2015 6 0
2014 15 0
2013 11 0
2012 13 0
2011 7 0
2010 8 0
2009 10 0
2008 8 0
2007 14 0
2006 10 0
2005 5 0
2004 8 0
2002 12 0
2001 6 0
2000 12 0
1999 5 0
1998 7 0
1995 7 0
1994 6 0
1984 5 0
1980 7 0
1977 7 0
1975 5 0

The history of the first name Mohan

The name Mohan is derived from the Sanskrit language and has its roots in ancient Indian culture. It is a combination of two words: "mo," meaning "great," and "han," meaning "to strike" or "to kill." The name essentially translates to "the great destroyer" or "the great conqueror."

In Hindu mythology, Mohan is one of the names attributed to Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu. It is believed that Krishna was given this name because of his ability to conquer the hearts of people with his charm and divine love. The name is mentioned in various Hindu scriptures, including the Bhagavad Gita and the Mahabharata.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mohan can be found in the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata. In this epic, Mohan is mentioned as one of the names given to Krishna by his foster mother, Yashoda. The epic dates back to around the 8th or 9th century BCE, indicating the name's long-standing presence in Indian culture.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Mohan. One such figure is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), the renowned leader of India's non-violent independence movement against British colonial rule. Gandhi, known as the "Father of the Nation" in India, was widely referred to as "Mohan" by his followers and fellow leaders.

Another prominent figure with the name Mohan was Mohan Singh (1909-1978), an Indian field hockey player who represented the country in three Olympic Games (1928, 1932, and 1936). He was part of the Indian hockey team that won three consecutive Olympic gold medals during this period, cementing India's dominance in the sport.

Mohan Rakesh (1925-1972) was a renowned Hindi writer, novelist, and playwright. He is considered one of the pioneers of the Nai Kahani (New Story) literary movement in Hindi literature. His works, such as "Andhere Band Kama" and "Adhe Adhure," explored themes of existentialism and the human condition.

Mohan Lal (born 1960) is a celebrated Indian actor who has worked predominantly in Malayalam cinema. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and versatile actors in the Indian film industry, having starred in over 300 films. Lal has received numerous accolades, including five National Film Awards and eight Kerala State Film Awards.

Mohan Rakesh Agashe (1912-1998) was an Indian classical singer and musicologist. He was a prominent exponent of the Gwalior gharana (style) of Hindustani classical music. Agashe made significant contributions to the preservation and promotion of Indian classical music through his performances, teachings, and scholarly works.

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 Mohan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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"Mohan first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on August 2, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/mohan-meaning-and-history/.

"Mohan first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/mohan-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 2 August, 2025

Mohan first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/mohan-meaning-and-history/.

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