Nakshatra
An astrological term representing the 27 moon stations.
Name Census estimates that about 175 living Americans carry the first name Nakshatra. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nakshatra today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nakshatra births was 2018 (25 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nakshatra. 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 Nakshatra with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
175
~ 1 in 1,958,596 Americans
Peak year
2018
25 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,260
Tracked since 2008
Popularity
Nakshatra: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nakshatra from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 101 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Nakshatra remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nakshatra 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 Nakshatra during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Nakshatra
The name Nakshatra has its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language from the Indian subcontinent. The word "nakshatra" refers to the 27 or 28 lunar mansions or constellations that make up the Hindu astrological system. This name is deeply rooted in Hindu mythology and cosmology.
In Vedic literature, the nakshatras play a crucial role in determining auspicious times for various rituals and ceremonies. The Vedas, ancient Hindu scriptures dating back to around 1500-500 BCE, mention the nakshatras extensively. The Atharvaveda, one of the four principal Vedas, contains hymns and mantras specifically dedicated to the nakshatras.
The earliest recorded use of the name Nakshatra can be traced back to ancient Hindu texts and scriptures. In the Mahabharata, one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, there is a character named Nakshatra, the daughter of the sage Kashyapa and his wife Aditi. She is described as being endowed with immense spiritual knowledge and beauty.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Nakshatra. One such person was Nakshatra Devi (1890-1977), an Indian freedom fighter and social reformer who actively participated in the Indian independence movement against British colonial rule. Another prominent figure was Nakshatra Mukherjee (1937-2018), an eminent Bengali writer and novelist renowned for her works exploring the lives of women in traditional Indian society.
In the field of astronomy, Nakshatra Charan Mukhopadhyay (1866-1938) was a notable Indian astronomer and mathematician who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and the motion of planets. He was also the founder of the Calcutta School of Astronomy.
Nakshatra Bahadur (1917-1981), a renowned Indian classical musician and vocalist, was known for her mastery of the Khayal and Thumri styles of Hindustani music. Her performances were highly acclaimed, and she received numerous awards and honors during her lifetime.
Lastly, Nakshatra Nagpal (born 1989) is a contemporary Indian actress and model who has appeared in various Bollywood films and television shows, gaining recognition for her talent and beauty.
While the name Nakshatra has its roots in ancient Hindu culture and mythology, it continues to be a popular name choice in India and among the Indian diaspora worldwide, reflecting the enduring influence of traditional Hindu beliefs and practices.
People
Nakshatra + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nakshatra as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Nakshatra: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nakshatra?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 175 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nakshatra 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 1,958,596 US residents.
Is Nakshatra a common name?
We classify Nakshatra as "Very Rare". It ranks above 72.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 176 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nakshatra most popular?
The single biggest year for Nakshatra was 2018, when 25 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nakshatra is about 9 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 Nakshatra in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nakshatra a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nakshatra 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 Nakshatra still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nakshatra 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 Nakshatra 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 Americans are named Nakshatra?
See how many people share the name Nakshatra on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.