Vikash
A masculine name of Sanskrit origin representing blooming, development, or growth.
Name Census estimates that about 157 living Americans carry the first name Vikash. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Vikash today is around 33 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Vikash births was 1984 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Vikash. 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
157
~ 1 in 2,183,149 Americans
Peak year
1984
12 babies that year
Average age
33
years old
2011 SSA rank
#12,201
Tracked since 1978
Popularity
Vikash: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Vikash from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 64 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Vikash 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 Vikash 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 Vikash
The name Vikash has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that dates back to around the 3rd century BCE. It is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "vikasa," which means "blossoming" or "blooming." The name is primarily found in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Vikash can be found in the ancient Hindu scriptures known as the Vedas. In the Rigveda, which is one of the oldest known texts in the world, there are references to a person named Vikasha, who was believed to be a sage or a scholar.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who have borne the name Vikash. One of the most famous was Vikash Narain Rai (1919-2003), an Indian freedom fighter and politician who played a significant role in the Indian independence movement. He was a member of the Indian National Congress and served as the Chief Minister of Bihar from 1970 to 1975.
Another notable figure was Vikash Chandra Shukla (1937-2022), an Indian politician who served as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's parliament, from 1977 to 1980. He was also a member of the Indian National Congress and held various cabinet positions in the government.
In the field of literature, Vikash Swarup (born 1959) is a renowned Indian author and diplomat who is best known for his critically acclaimed novel "Q & A," which was later adapted into the Academy Award-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire." His other notable works include "Six Suspects" and "The Accidental Apprentice."
Vikash Ambalal Mehta (1920-2001) was an Indian industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Saurashtra Cement Limited, one of the largest cement companies in India. He was also actively involved in various social and charitable organizations, and his contributions to education and healthcare were widely recognized.
Vikash Narain Rai (1910-1977), not to be confused with the earlier Vikash Narain Rai, was an Indian poet and writer who wrote in the Hindi language. His notable works include "Parvatiya," "Akath Kahani," and "Chhalang." He was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honors, in 1972 for his contributions to literature.
People
Vikash + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Vikash 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
Vikash: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Vikash?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 157 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Vikash 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 2,183,149 US residents.
Is Vikash a common name?
We classify Vikash as "Very Rare". It ranks above 70.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 162 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Vikash most popular?
The single biggest year for Vikash was 1984, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Vikash is about 33 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Vikash a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Vikash 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.