Varad
A Sanskrit masculine name meaning gift or boon.
Name Census estimates that about 71 living Americans carry the first name Varad. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Varad today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Varad births was 2020 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Varad. 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 Varad. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
71
~ 1 in 4,827,526 Americans
Peak year
2020
10 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,797
Tracked since 2007
Popularity
Varad: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Varad from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 45 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Varad remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Varad 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 Varad 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 Varad
The name Varad is derived from the Sanskrit language and has its origins in ancient India. It is believed to have emerged around the 5th century BCE, during the Vedic period when Sanskrit was the predominant language of the Indian subcontinent.
The name Varad is composed of two Sanskrit words: "vara," meaning "excellent" or "best," and "da," meaning "giver." Thus, the name Varad can be interpreted as "one who bestows blessings" or "the giver of boons." This name is often associated with Hindu deities, such as Lord Ganesha and Lord Vishnu, who are revered for their ability to grant boons and remove obstacles.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Varad can be found in the Hindu sacred text, the Puranas. In the Shiva Purana, there is a reference to a sage named Varad Rishi, who was known for his wisdom and spiritual attainments. This suggests that the name Varad was in use during the ancient period and held significance in Hindu culture.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Varad. One of the most famous was Varad Vinayak (1176-1250 CE), a revered Hindu saint and poet from Maharashtra, India. He was known for his devotional compositions in praise of Lord Vithoba, a form of Lord Vishnu. His works, such as the Gatha and Abhangas, are still widely recited and celebrated in the Varkari tradition.
Another prominent figure was Varad Mahadev Deshpande (1864-1920), an Indian social reformer and educator from Maharashtra. He played a crucial role in promoting education among women and advocating for the abolition of regressive social practices. Deshpande founded the Arya Mahila Samaj, an organization dedicated to empowering women through education and social reform.
In the realm of Indian classical music, Varad Mirmire (1938-2021) was a renowned vocalist and exponent of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana. He was awarded the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1998 for his contributions to Hindustani classical music.
Varad Venkatraman (born 1982) is a contemporary Indian chess player who achieved the title of Grandmaster in 2006. He has represented India in numerous international chess tournaments and has won several prestigious titles.
Varad Mehta (born 1989) is an Indian actor known for his roles in Bollywood films and television shows. He has appeared in popular productions such as "Fukrey" and "Four More Shots Please!," garnering recognition for his versatile performances.
These examples demonstrate the wide-ranging significance and use of the name Varad throughout history, spanning various fields such as religion, literature, social reform, music, sports, and entertainment.
People
Varad + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Varad 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
Varad: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Varad?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 71 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Varad 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 4,827,526 US residents.
Is Varad a common name?
We classify Varad as "Very Rare". It ranks above 59.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 72 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Varad most popular?
The single biggest year for Varad was 2020, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Varad is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Varad a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Varad 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.