Naman
A masculine Sanskrit name meaning "salutation, greeting, and reverence".
Name Census estimates that about 493 living Americans carry the first name Naman. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Naman today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Naman births was 2010 (28 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Naman. 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
493
~ 1 in 695,242 Americans
Peak year
2010
28 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,815
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Naman: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Naman from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 172 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Naman remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Naman 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 Naman during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Namans live
Origin
Meaning and history of Naman
The name Naman is believed to have its origins in Sanskrit, one of the oldest Indo-Aryan languages of the Indian subcontinent. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "naman," which means "to bow" or "to salute." This name has been in use for centuries in various parts of South Asia, particularly in regions where Hinduism and Buddhism have had a significant cultural influence.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Naman can be found in the ancient Hindu scriptures, the Vedas, which date back to the second millennium BCE. In these sacred texts, the name is often associated with reverence, humility, and respect, reflecting the meaning of its Sanskrit root.
Throughout history, several prominent figures have borne the name Naman. One of the most notable is Naman Malik, a 13th-century Indian poet and scholar from the Delhi Sultanate era. His poetic works, written in Persian, have been widely studied and celebrated for their literary excellence.
Another historical figure with the name Naman is Naman P. Ahuja (1915-2008), an Indian lawyer and jurist who served as the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court from 1975 to 1977. He was known for his judicial integrity and commitment to upholding the rule of law.
In the realm of literature, Naman Nath Pradhan (1930-2019) was a renowned Nepali poet and essayist. His works explored themes of identity, culture, and the human condition, earning him numerous accolades, including the prestigious Sajha Puraskar in 1998.
The name Naman has also been associated with religious figures. One such example is Naman Ahuja, a contemporary Indian spiritual leader and founder of the Awakin Circles movement, which promotes mindfulness, selfless service, and inner transformation.
Another historical figure bearing the name Naman is Naman Vyas (1835-1901), an Indian intellectual and social reformer from the state of Gujarat. He played a crucial role in promoting education and advocating for the rights of marginalized communities during the British colonial era.
While the name Naman has its roots in Sanskrit and South Asian cultures, it has transcended geographical boundaries and has been adopted by people of various backgrounds and ethnicities worldwide, reflecting the diverse and interconnected nature of human societies.
People
Naman + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Naman 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
Naman: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Naman?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 493 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Naman 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 695,242 US residents.
Is Naman a common name?
We classify Naman as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 513 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Naman most popular?
The single biggest year for Naman was 2010, when 28 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Naman is about 18 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Naman a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Naman 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.
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.