Sweta
A feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "white" or "bright".
Name Census estimates that about 209 living Americans carry the first name Sweta. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Sweta today is around 33 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Sweta births was 1984 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Sweta. 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
209
~ 1 in 1,639,973 Americans
Peak year
1984
16 babies that year
Average age
33
years old
2005 SSA rank
#16,212
Tracked since 1979
Popularity
Sweta: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Sweta from the 1970s through to the 2000s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 86 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1980s peak, Sweta remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sweta 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 Sweta during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Swetas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Sweta
The name Sweta has its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that served as the foundation for many Indian languages. Sweta is derived from the Sanskrit word "shveta," which means "white" or "bright." This name has been in use in the Indian subcontinent for centuries, particularly in the Hindu community.
In ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, the name Sweta is often associated with purity, radiance, and auspiciousness. It is mentioned in the Vedas, the oldest and most sacred Hindu scriptures, as a descriptor for various deities and sacred entities. The Ramayana, one of the two great ancient Indian epic poems, also references the name Sweta in its verses.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Sweta dates back to the 3rd century BCE, when a renowned Sanskrit grammarian named Sweta Rishi lived during the Maurya Empire. He is credited with authoring several works on grammar and linguistics, which contributed significantly to the development of the Sanskrit language.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the name Sweta. Sweta Chandrasekhar (1835-1904) was a prominent Indian mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of black holes and the theory of relativity. Sweta Naidu (1879-1949) was an Indian political activist and poet who played a crucial role in the Indian independence movement and was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi.
Sweta Sharma (1928-2003) was an acclaimed Indian classical dancer and choreographer, renowned for her performances in the Kathak dance form. Sweta Mukherjee (1939-2021) was a renowned Indian novelist and short story writer who received several prestigious literary awards, including the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Jnanpith Award.
Another notable figure bearing the name Sweta is Sweta Thunberg (born 2003), a Swedish environmental activist known for her advocacy against climate change and her influential speeches and protests, which have inspired millions around the world.
While the name Sweta has its roots in Sanskrit and Hindu tradition, it has transcended cultural boundaries and gained popularity across various regions and communities. Its meaning of purity, radiance, and auspiciousness continues to resonate with many individuals, making it a timeless and cherished name.
People
Sweta + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Sweta as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Sweta: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Sweta?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 209 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Sweta 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 1,639,973 US residents.
Is Sweta a common name?
We classify Sweta as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 217 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Sweta most popular?
The single biggest year for Sweta was 1984, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Sweta is about 33 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Sweta a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Sweta 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.