Utkarsh
A masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "excellence" or "height".
Name Census estimates that about 43 living Americans carry the first name Utkarsh. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Utkarsh today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Utkarsh births was 2002 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Utkarsh. 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 Utkarsh. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
43
~ 1 in 7,971,031 Americans
Peak year
2002
6 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2022 SSA rank
#12,208
Tracked since 1998
Popularity
Utkarsh: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Utkarsh from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 16 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Utkarsh remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Utkarsh 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 Utkarsh 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 Utkarsh
The name Utkarsh has its origins in the Sanskrit language of ancient India. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "Utkarsha," which means "excellence" or "superiority." The name is believed to have originated around the 5th century BCE during the Vedic period of Indian history.
In ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, the word "Utkarsha" is often used to signify the highest state of spiritual attainment or the ultimate goal of human existence. The name Utkarsh, therefore, carries connotations of aspiration, achievement, and the pursuit of excellence.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Utkarsh can be found in the Mahabharata, the ancient Indian epic composed between the 8th and 9th centuries BCE. In the epic, Utkarsh is mentioned as the name of a warrior who fought alongside the Pandava prince Arjuna during the great Kurukshetra war.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Utkarsh. One of the most prominent was Utkarsh Arya (995-1063 CE), a renowned Indian mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of trigonometry and the study of celestial movements.
Another notable bearer of the name was Utkarsh Mishra (1548-1624 CE), a revered Hindu scholar and philosopher who wrote extensively on the Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy. His works, such as the "Utkarsha-Vidya," were highly influential in shaping the intellectual discourse of his time.
In the 16th century, Utkarsh Singh (1532-1597 CE) was a celebrated warrior and military commander who served under the Mughal Emperor Akbar. His bravery and strategic acumen earned him a place in the annals of Mughal history.
More recently, Utkarsh Ambudkar (born 1984) is an American actor and rapper of Indian descent who has appeared in various television shows and films, including "Pitch Perfect" and "The Mindy Project."
Utkarsh Pandey (born 1991) is an Indian cricketer who has represented the Indian national team in various formats of the game, including Test matches and One Day Internationals.
The name Utkarsh continues to be popular among Indian families, particularly those with roots in the northern and central regions of the country. It serves as a reminder of the rich cultural heritage and literary traditions of ancient India, while also embodying aspirations of excellence and achievement.
People
Utkarsh + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Utkarsh as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with U
Other first names starting with U with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Utkarsh: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Utkarsh?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 43 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Utkarsh 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 7,971,031 US residents.
Is Utkarsh a common name?
We classify Utkarsh as "Very Rare". It ranks above 52.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 43 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Utkarsh most popular?
The single biggest year for Utkarsh was 2002, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Utkarsh is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Utkarsh a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Utkarsh 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.