Vikas
A masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "blossoming" or "progress".
Name Census estimates that about 499 living Americans carry the first name Vikas. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Vikas today is around 35 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Vikas births was 1983 (22 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Vikas. 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
499
~ 1 in 686,882 Americans
Peak year
1983
22 babies that year
Average age
35
years old
2013 SSA rank
#8,737
Tracked since 1970
Popularity
Vikas: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Vikas from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 159 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Vikas 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 Vikas during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Vikas' live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. New York, California, Illinois recorded the most babies named Vikas, while Illinois, California, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 7 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Vikas
The name Vikas is derived from the Sanskrit word "vikas," which means "blooming," "opening," or "development." The Sanskrit language has its roots in ancient India, with the earliest written records dating back to around 1500 BCE. The name is associated with the Hindu culture and is primarily used in the Indian subcontinent.
The name Vikas has been present in Hindu scriptures and ancient texts, such as the Vedas and the Puranas. It is believed to have been used as a name since ancient times, although the exact origin and earliest recorded instance are difficult to pinpoint due to the vast expanse of Indian history and literature.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Vikas is Vikas Shastri, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and poet who lived in the 16th century CE. He was known for his contributions to Sanskrit literature and his mastery of the language.
Another notable figure was Vikas Prabhu, a 17th-century Indian philosopher and spiritual leader. He was a prominent figure in the Bhakti movement and is renowned for his teachings on devotion and spiritual enlightenment.
In more recent history, Vikas Khanna is a celebrated Michelin-starred Indian chef, restaurateur, and author, born in 1971. He is known for his contributions to the culinary world and for promoting Indian cuisine on a global stage.
Vikas Swarup, born in 1963, is an Indian diplomat and author. He gained international recognition for his debut novel "Q&A," which was adapted into the critically acclaimed film "Slumdog Millionaire" in 2008.
Vikas Krishan is a professional Indian boxer, born in 1992. He has competed in multiple Olympic Games and has won several medals at international boxing competitions, bringing honor to India in the sport.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Vikas, reflecting its deep roots in Indian culture and its association with concepts of growth, development, and blossoming.
People
Vikas + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Vikas 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
Vikas: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Vikas?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 499 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Vikas 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 686,882 US residents.
Is Vikas a common name?
We classify Vikas as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 518 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Vikas most popular?
The single biggest year for Vikas was 1983, when 22 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Vikas is about 35 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Vikas a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Vikas 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.