Toran
A masculine given name of Sanskrit origin meaning "fence" or "gateway".
Name Census estimates that about 356 living Americans carry the first name Toran. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Toran today is around 28 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Toran births was 1987 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Toran. 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
356
~ 1 in 962,793 Americans
Peak year
1987
17 babies that year
Average age
28
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,748
Tracked since 1965
Popularity
Toran: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Toran from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 85 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1980s peak, Toran remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Toran 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 Toran during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Toran
The name Toran traces its origins to the Sanskrit language and Hindu culture, dating back to ancient times in the Indian subcontinent. One possible derivation is from the Sanskrit word "tora," which means "gate" or "entrance," suggesting the name may have been associated with guardianship or protection. Another theory links it to the word "torana," a decorative arched entrance or gateway in Hindu temples and architecture.
Toran appears to have been in use as a personal name among Hindus for centuries, though its earliest documented instances are difficult to pinpoint with certainty. Some scholars suggest it may have been mentioned in ancient Hindu texts or scriptures, but specific references are scarce.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Toran was Toran Mal, a 16th-century Hindu nobleman and military commander in the service of the Mughal Empire. He played a significant role in the campaigns of Akbar, the third Mughal emperor, and is mentioned in historical accounts of the time.
Another notable figure was Toran Singh, a Sikh warrior and military leader from the 18th century. He was a prominent figure in the armed resistance against the Afghan invasions of the Punjab region and is celebrated for his bravery and leadership in defending Sikh territories.
In more recent times, Toran Devi was an Indian freedom fighter and social activist from the early 20th century. She participated in the Indian independence movement against British colonial rule and worked towards the upliftment of women and marginalized communities.
Toran Sahni was a renowned Indian actor and playwright of the 20th century, known for his contributions to Hindi theatre and cinema. He was born in 1924 and passed away in 1987, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of performing arts.
Toran Naarsa is a contemporary Indian filmmaker and screenwriter, recognized for his work in the Kannada film industry. He has directed several critically acclaimed movies and has been honored with various awards for his storytelling and artistic vision.
While the name Toran has its roots in ancient Hindu culture, it has since been adopted by people of various religious and ethnic backgrounds, particularly in the Indian subcontinent and among the South Asian diaspora worldwide.
People
Toran + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Toran as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Toran: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Toran?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 356 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Toran 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 962,793 US residents.
Is Toran a common name?
We classify Toran as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 366 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Toran most popular?
The single biggest year for Toran was 1987, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Toran is about 28 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Toran a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Toran 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.