Parnika
A feminine name of Hindu origin meaning a metaphoric sailing vessel or ship.
Name Census estimates that about 326 living Americans carry the first name Parnika. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Parnika today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Parnika births was 2016 (30 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Parnika. 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
326
~ 1 in 1,051,394 Americans
Peak year
2016
30 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,097
Tracked since 2003
Popularity
Parnika: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Parnika 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 184 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Parnika remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Parnika 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 Parnika during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Parnikas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Parnika
The name Parnika is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that dates back to the second millennium BCE. It is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "parnika," which means "winged" or "feathered." The name is associated with the Indian subcontinent and is primarily found in Hindu communities.
In Hindu mythology, Parnika is mentioned as the name of a celestial nymph or apsara. Apsaras were beautiful, supernatural female beings who were known for their enchanting beauty and grace. They were often depicted as skilled dancers and musicians who entertained the gods in the heavenly realms.
One of the earliest known references to the name Parnika can be found in the Mahabharata, a ancient Indian epic that is considered one of the longest epic poems in the world. The Mahabharata is dated to around the 8th or 9th century BCE, and it contains various stories and legends from Hindu mythology.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Parnika. One of the earliest recorded examples is Parnika Devi, a Hindu queen who ruled the Kadamba dynasty in present-day Karnataka, India, during the 4th century CE. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her support for the construction of temples and educational institutions.
Another prominent figure with the name Parnika was Parnika Acharya, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and poet who lived in the 12th century CE. She is credited with several literary works, including commentaries on ancient Hindu texts and poetic compositions.
In the field of dance, Parnika Mansingh was a celebrated Indian classical dancer and choreographer who lived from 1919 to 2022. She was a prominent figure in the revival and preservation of various Indian dance forms, such as Odissi and Chhau.
Parnika Acharya, a contemporary Indian writer and poet, born in 1962, has also gained recognition for her works in Hindi and English literature. Her poetry explores themes of feminism, spirituality, and social issues.
Parnika Nath, born in 1985, is a Indian classical vocalist and exponent of the Khayal style of Hindustani classical music. She has received numerous awards and accolades for her contributions to the field of music.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have carried the name Parnika, reflecting its rich cultural heritage and association with various fields, including literature, arts, and spirituality.
People
Parnika + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Parnika as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with P
Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Parnika: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Parnika?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 326 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Parnika 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 1,051,394 US residents.
Is Parnika a common name?
We classify Parnika as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 328 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Parnika most popular?
The single biggest year for Parnika was 2016, when 30 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Parnika is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Parnika a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Parnika 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.
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.