Poojan
A masculine name of Hindu/Indian origin meaning "to worship" or "adoration".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Poojan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Poojan today is around 28 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Poojan births was 1997 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Poojan. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Poojan. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1997
5 babies that year
Average age
28
years old
1997 SSA rank
#10,400
Tracked since 1997
Popularity
Poojan: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Poojan 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 Poojan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Poojan
The name Poojan originates from the Sanskrit language, with roots tracing back to ancient India. Sanskrit, one of the oldest Indo-Aryan languages, was the classical literary language of the Indian subcontinent and a sacred language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. The name Poojan is derived from the Sanskrit word "puja," which means worship, prayer, or offering.
In Hindu culture, puja is a sacred ritual involving prayers, mantras, and offerings to deities or revered figures. The name Poojan may have been bestowed upon individuals born during auspicious times or ceremonies, or as a reminder of the importance of spiritual practices and devotion.
The earliest known references to the name Poojan can be found in ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, such as the Vedas and Puranas, which date back several centuries BCE. These sacred texts often contained stories and teachings that emphasized the significance of devotion, worship, and spiritual enlightenment, aligning with the meaning of the name Poojan.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Poojan. One example is Poojan Sahay, an Indian freedom fighter and revolutionary who lived from 1891 to 1936. He actively participated in the Indian independence movement against British colonial rule and was imprisoned multiple times for his involvement.
Another prominent individual with the name Poojan was Poojan Lal Mehta, an Indian entrepreneur and industrialist who lived from 1902 to 1986. He founded the Mehta Group of Companies, which became a successful business conglomerate in India, spanning various industries.
In the field of sports, Poojan Nath Mulye was an Indian cricketer who played domestic cricket for Mumbai and represented India in Test matches during the 1960s. He was born in 1935 and passed away in 2004.
Poojan Shakya, born in 1981, is a contemporary Nepali actor and model who has appeared in numerous Nepali films and television shows, gaining recognition for his contributions to the entertainment industry.
Additionally, Poojan Pandey is a well-known Indian entrepreneur and co-founder of the successful food delivery platform, Zomato. Born in 1984, he has played a significant role in the growth and success of the company.
While the name Poojan has its roots in ancient Sanskrit and Hindu culture, it has transcended geographical boundaries and continues to be used across various regions and communities, carrying the essence of its spiritual and devotional origins.
People
Poojan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Poojan 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
Poojan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Poojan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Poojan 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Poojan a common name?
We classify Poojan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Poojan most popular?
The single biggest year for Poojan was 1997, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Poojan is about 28 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 Poojan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Poojan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Poojan 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 Poojan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Poojan 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 Poojan 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 Poojan?
See how many Americans are named Poojan on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.