Find out how popular the first name Skanda has been for the last 20 years (from 2004 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Skanda by gender

Based on the last 20 years of data, Skanda is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 16 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Skanda.

The history of the first name Skanda

The name Skanda has its origins in ancient Hindu mythology and is derived from the Sanskrit language. It is believed to have emerged sometime around the 3rd century BCE.

Skanda is one of the many names of the Hindu god Kartikeya, who is the son of Shiva and Parvati. The name is said to be derived from the Sanskrit word "skand," which means "to leap" or "to jump." This is a reference to the mythological story of Kartikeya's birth, where he is said to have leapt from the womb of his mother, Parvati.

The name Skanda appears in various Hindu scriptures, including the Puranas and the epic Mahabharata. In the Mahabharata, Skanda is mentioned as the leader of the celestial army and plays a crucial role in the battle between the Pandavas and Kauravas.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Skanda can be found in the Skanda Purana, a Hindu religious text that dates back to around the 7th century CE. This text is dedicated to the worship of Skanda and contains numerous stories and legends related to him.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who have borne the name Skanda. One of the most famous was Skanda Gupta (455-467 CE), an emperor of the Gupta Empire in ancient India. He is known for his military conquests and for reviving the declining Gupta Empire during his reign.

Another notable figure was Skanda Kumara (1718-1765), a Telugu poet and playwright from the Madras Presidency (present-day Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh) during the 18th century. He is renowned for his contributions to Telugu literature and is considered one of the most influential poets of his time.

In the 19th century, Skanda Gopala Bharati (1851-1925) was a prominent Hindu spiritual leader and the 33rd Jagadguru (supreme pontiff) of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham, one of the most influential Hindu monastic institutions in South India.

More recently, Skanda Kumaran (1905-1974) was a renowned Indian lawyer and politician who served as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha (Lower House of the Indian Parliament) from 1967 to 1971.

Skanda Bajpai (1936-2021) was an Indian civil servant and economist who served as the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) from 1995 to 1998.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Skanda was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Skanda, please contact us.

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