Prateek
Sanskrit name meaning leader or principal.
Name Census estimates that about 225 living Americans carry the first name Prateek. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Prateek today is around 22 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Prateek births was 2010 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Prateek. 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
225
~ 1 in 1,523,353 Americans
Peak year
2010
16 babies that year
Average age
22
years old
2021 SSA rank
#13,589
Tracked since 1989
Popularity
Prateek: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Prateek from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 101 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Prateek 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 Prateek during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Prateeks live
Origin
Meaning and history of Prateek
The given name Prateek has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is one of the oldest and most influential languages of the Indian subcontinent. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "prateek," which means "symbol," "emblem," or "representation."
In ancient Hindu texts and scriptures, the name Prateek is associated with the concept of symbolism and representation. It is often used as a metaphor for the divine or the sacred, symbolizing the presence of a higher power or spiritual essence within the physical world.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Prateek can be traced back to ancient Hindu literature and inscriptions dating back to the 5th century BCE. One notable historical figure who bore this name was Prateek Chakravarti, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and poet who lived in the 12th century CE.
Over the centuries, several notable individuals have carried the name Prateek. One of the most famous was Prateek Chandra Roy, an Indian freedom fighter and revolutionary who played a significant role in the Indian independence movement against British colonial rule in the early 20th century.
Another notable Prateek was Prateek Basu, an Indian mathematician and computer scientist who made significant contributions to the field of cryptography and information security. He was born in 1940 and is known for his work on the development of secure communication systems.
In the field of literature, Prateek Sharma was a celebrated Indian novelist and playwright who lived from 1932 to 2008. His works explored themes of social injustice, cultural identity, and the human condition, earning him numerous accolades and awards.
Prateek Kuhad, born in 1990, is a contemporary Indian singer-songwriter and musician who has gained international recognition for his soulful and introspective music. His debut album, "In Token of Love," was released in 2015 and garnered critical acclaim.
While the name Prateek has its roots in Sanskrit and Hindu culture, it has gained popularity across various regions and communities within India and beyond. The name's association with symbolism and representation has endured over time, making it a meaningful and significant choice for parents.
People
Prateek + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Prateek 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
Prateek: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Prateek?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 225 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Prateek 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 1,523,353 US residents.
Is Prateek a common name?
We classify Prateek as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 228 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Prateek most popular?
The single biggest year for Prateek was 2010, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Prateek is about 22 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Prateek a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Prateek 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.