Vishwa
A Sanskrit masculine name meaning universe or all-encompassing.
Name Census estimates that about 268 living Americans carry the first name Vishwa. It is a predominantly male name (94.1% of registrations). The average person named Vishwa today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Vishwa births was 2016 (22 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Vishwa. 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
268
~ 1 in 1,278,934 Americans
Peak year
2016
22 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,811
Tracked since 2000
Gender
Gender distribution for Vishwa
Vishwa leans heavily male at 94.1% of total registrations, but 16 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Vishwa as a male name
- Ranked #10,811 in 2024
- 7 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2010 (17 births)
Vishwa as a female name
- Ranked #18,709 in 2016
- 5 female births in 2016
- Peak: 2004 (6 births)
Popularity
Vishwa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Vishwa 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 126 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Vishwa remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Vishwa 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 Vishwa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Vishwas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Vishwa
The name Vishwa originates from Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that dates back to the 2nd millennium BCE. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "vishva," which means "universe" or "cosmos." This name has deep roots in Hindu culture and philosophy, where the concept of the universal consciousness pervades various spiritual teachings.
In Hinduism, the term "vishva" is often associated with the all-encompassing and infinite nature of the divine. It represents the idea of the universe as a manifestation of the supreme reality, the Brahman. The name Vishwa, therefore, carries a profound connotation of universality, vastness, and the interconnectedness of all beings.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Vishwa can be found in the Vedas, the ancient Hindu scriptures that date back to around 1500-500 BCE. The name appears in several Vedic hymns and mantras, particularly in the context of addressing the divine or invoking the universal forces of nature.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Vishwa. One of the earliest known figures was Vishwa Karma, the divine architect and craftsman in Hindu mythology. He is credited with creating numerous marvels and is revered as the presiding deity of all craftsmen and engineers.
In the 6th century CE, Vishwa Mitra, a renowned sage and philosopher, is said to have composed several hymns and verses in the Rigveda, one of the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism. His name, which means "friend of the universe," reflects his profound wisdom and connection with the cosmic order.
During the medieval period, Vishwa Nath, a 13th-century Hindu philosopher and scholar, made significant contributions to the development of the Advaita Vedanta school of thought. His works explored the concept of non-duality and the unity of the individual self with the ultimate reality.
In more recent times, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (1916-1988) was an Indian classical musician and pioneering player of the Mohan veena, a modified version of the traditional Indian slide guitar. He was widely acclaimed for his innovative approach and mastery of the instrument.
Another notable figure was Vishwa Nath Pandey (1917-1990), an Indian freedom fighter and political leader who played a pivotal role in the Indian independence movement. He served as the Governor of several states in India and was awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan, one of the country's highest civilian honors.
People
Vishwa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Vishwa 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
Vishwa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Vishwa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 268 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Vishwa 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 1,278,934 US residents.
Is Vishwa a common name?
We classify Vishwa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 77.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 270 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Vishwa most popular?
The single biggest year for Vishwa was 2016, when 22 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Vishwa is about 13 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Vishwa a male name?
Yes, 94.1% of people registered as Vishwa 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.