Vir
A masculine Indian name meaning brave, courageous, or hero.
Name Census estimates that about 421 living Americans carry the first name Vir. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Vir today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Vir births was 2022 (33 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Vir. 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
421
~ 1 in 814,143 Americans
Peak year
2022
33 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,031
Tracked since 2002
Popularity
Vir: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Vir 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 198 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Vir remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Vir 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 Vir during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Virs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, Texas, New Jersey recorded the most babies named Vir, while New Jersey, Texas, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 27 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Vir
The name Vir has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language of South Asia. Vir is derived from the Sanskrit word 'vira,' which means 'brave' or 'heroic.' This name was prevalent in ancient India and has been a part of Indian culture for centuries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Vir can be found in the Hindu epic Mahabharata, which dates back to around the 8th century BCE. In the epic, Vir is mentioned as a name of a warrior or a brave soldier. The name was also associated with the Hindu god Vishnu, who is often depicted as a protector and a warrior.
During the medieval period, the name Vir was commonly used among the Rajput clans of India, who were known for their bravery and valor in battle. Many Rajput rulers and warriors bore the name Vir, and it became a symbol of courage and strength.
In the 16th century, a Rajput ruler named Vir Singh Deo ruled over the princely state of Bundela in central India. He was known for his bravery and military conquests, and his name became synonymous with valor and heroism.
Another notable historical figure with the name Vir was Vir Kunwar Singh, a leader of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 against the British East India Company. He was a skilled warrior and led his forces with great courage and determination.
In more recent times, Vir Savarkar, an Indian independence activist, philosopher, and writer, was born in 1883. He played a pivotal role in the Indian independence movement and was a staunch advocate for Hindu nationalism.
Vir Chakra is also the name of India's third-highest military decoration, awarded for acts of gallantry in the presence of the enemy. The name Vir Chakra itself means "Vir's Wheel" or "Wheel of Valor," further emphasizing the association of the name with bravery and heroism.
Overall, the name Vir has a rich historical significance in Indian culture, representing courage, valor, and heroism. Its roots can be traced back to ancient Sanskrit texts, and it has been borne by many notable warriors, rulers, and freedom fighters throughout history.
People
Vir + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Vir 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
Vir: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Vir?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 421 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Vir 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 814,143 US residents.
Is Vir a common name?
We classify Vir as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 424 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Vir most popular?
The single biggest year for Vir was 2022, when 33 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Vir is about 11 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Vir a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Vir 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.