Vadah
A feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "celestial" or "heavenly".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Vadah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Vadah today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Vadah births was 1916 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Vadah. 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 Vadah. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1916
5 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2019 SSA rank
#17,791
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Vadah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Vadah from the 1910s through to the 2010s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Vadah 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 Vadah 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 Vadah
The name Vadah is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that has been in use for over 3,500 years. The name Vadah is derived from the Sanskrit word "vadah," which means "to speak" or "to address." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who were skilled orators, teachers, or storytellers.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Vadah can be found in the ancient Hindu scriptures, the Vedas, which date back to around 1500 BCE. In these sacred texts, there are references to sages and scholars with the name Vadah, indicating that the name was in use during the Vedic period in ancient India.
During the medieval period in India, the name Vadah was associated with scholars and intellectuals. One notable figure was Vadah Bhatta, a renowned Hindu philosopher and logician who lived in the 7th century CE. He was known for his contributions to the field of epistemology and his commentaries on the works of the influential philosopher Dharmakirti.
In the realm of literature, one of the most famous individuals with the name Vadah was Vadah Vaidya, a Sanskrit poet and playwright who lived in the 16th century CE. He was renowned for his poetic compositions and his contribution to the development of Sanskrit drama.
Another historical figure with the name Vadah was Vadah Govindacharya, a prominent Vedic scholar and teacher who lived in the 18th century CE. He was widely respected for his expertise in the Vedas and his teachings on Hinduism.
Moving further into the modern era, one notable individual with the name Vadah was Vadah Menon, an Indian freedom fighter and social reformer who played a significant role in the Indian independence movement during the early 20th century. He was a vocal advocate for women's rights and the eradication of social injustices.
These are just a few examples of the historical figures who have carried the name Vadah. The name has a rich legacy, originating from the ancient Sanskrit language and being associated with individuals who were renowned for their knowledge, oratory skills, and scholarly pursuits.
People
Vadah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Vadah as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with V
Other first names starting with V with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Vadah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Vadah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Vadah 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Vadah a common name?
We classify Vadah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Vadah most popular?
The single biggest year for Vadah was 1916, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Vadah is about 8 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Vadah in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Vadah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Vadah 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.
Is Vadah still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Vadah in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Vadah can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Vadah?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.