Vishakan
A masculine Hindu name of Sanskrit origin meaning "one who separates".
Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Vishakan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Vishakan today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Vishakan births was 2016 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Vishakan. 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 Vishakan. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
7
~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Peak year
2016
7 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2016 SSA rank
#10,670
Tracked since 2016
Popularity
Vishakan: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Vishakan 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 Vishakan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Vishakan
The name Vishakan has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that originated in the Indian subcontinent. It is believed to have emerged during the second millennium BCE, making it one of the oldest languages in the world. The name Vishakan is derived from the Sanskrit word "vishakha," which means "branch" or "twig."
In Hindu mythology, Vishakha is the name of one of the 27 nakshatras or lunar mansions, which are segments of the celestial sphere associated with specific stars or constellations. Vishakha is represented by two stars in the constellation Libra and is considered an auspicious nakshatra for various rituals and ceremonies.
The earliest recorded use of the name Vishakan can be traced back to ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, such as the Vedas and the Puranas. In these texts, the name is often associated with deities, sages, and other important figures in Hindu mythology.
One of the most notable historical figures bearing the name Vishakan was Vishakhadatta, an Indian Sanskrit scholar and playwright who lived during the 7th century CE. He is best known for his play "Mudrarakshasa," which is considered a masterpiece of Sanskrit drama and provides valuable insights into the political intrigues of ancient India.
Another prominent individual with the name Vishakan was Vishakhanupravara, a renowned Buddhist scholar and translator who lived during the 6th century CE. He played a crucial role in the transmission of Buddhist teachings and texts from India to China and is credited with translating numerous Buddhist scriptures into Chinese.
In the realm of literature, Vishakan Chettiar was a prominent Indian writer and scholar from the 19th century. He authored several works in Tamil literature and made significant contributions to the preservation and promotion of Tamil culture and language.
Vishakan Ghosh was an Indian revolutionary and freedom fighter who participated in the Indian independence movement against British colonial rule in the early 20th century. He was involved in various revolutionary activities and played a crucial role in the struggle for India's independence.
Lastly, Vishakan Nair was a renowned Indian classical dancer and choreographer who specialized in the traditional dance form of Kathakali. He was widely celebrated for his performances and contributions to the preservation and promotion of this ancient dance form, which originated in the southern Indian state of Kerala.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Vishakan, reflecting the rich cultural and historical significance of this name across various regions and time periods.
People
Vishakan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Vishakan 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
Vishakan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Vishakan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Vishakan 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 48,964,905 US residents.
Is Vishakan a common name?
We classify Vishakan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 23.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 7 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Vishakan most popular?
The single biggest year for Vishakan was 2016, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Vishakan is about 10 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 Vishakan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Vishakan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Vishakan 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.
Is Vishakan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Vishakan 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 Vishakan 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 people are named Vishakan?
Want to know how many people share the name Vishakan? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.