Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2016

Karthikeya

Gender Boy Rank 2025 #3,478 Trend ↑ Rising 45%
Rank 2025
#3,478
among boys · ↑1,687 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
33
named Karthikeya
How common
1 in 51,760
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2016
39 babies
All-time total
370
#9,469 all-time among boys
First recorded
2004
in Social Security records

Karthikeya popularity over time

370 babies have been named Karthikeya since 2004, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.010.020.0318801900192019401960198020002020Peak 2016Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s – – – –
1930s – – – –
1940s – – – –
1950s – – – –
1960s – – – –
1970s – – – –
1980s – – – –
1990s – – – –
2000s 34 3 – #9,337
2010s 208 21 +512% #3,035
2020s (to 2025) 128 21 +3% #3,478

Where Karthikeya is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year Projected babies Per 1,000 boys Implied rank
2026 35 0.02 outside top 500
2027 36 0.02 outside top 500
2028 38 0.02 outside top 500
2029 39 0.02 outside top 500
2030 40 0.02 outside top 500

The story of Karthikeya

Karthikeya is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,478 in 2025 with 33 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 2004, 370 American babies have been named Karthikeya. Its peak came in 2016, when 39 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2010s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Karthikeya stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Karthikeya?

The median living Karthikeya is about 8 years old; half are between 4 and 11. An estimated 400 people named Karthikeya are alive in the United States today.

median 8 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Karthikeya year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 33 #3,478
2024 19 #5,165
2023 25 #4,281
2022 14 #6,320
2021 19 #5,025
2020 18 #5,142
2019 16 #5,687
2018 21 #4,670
2017 27 #3,930
2016 39 #3,035
2015 24 #4,228
2014 32 #3,422
2013 14 #6,081
2012 13 #6,492
2011 11 #7,247
2010 11 #7,334
2009 8 #9,444
2008 5 #13,587
2007 8 #9,337
2006 7 #10,135
2005 – –
2004 6 #10,675
2003 – –
2002 – –
2001 – –
2000 – –
1995 – –
1990 – –
1985 – –
1980 – –
1975 – –
1970 – –
1965 – –
1960 – –
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Karthikeya, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Karthikeya?

The median living Karthikeya is about 8 years old. Half of all living Karthikeyas are between 4 and 11 years old.

How many people named Karthikeya are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Karthikeya are alive in the United States, based on 370 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Karthikeya in 2025?

Karthikeya ranked #3,478 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 33 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Karthikeya?

370 babies have been named Karthikeya in the United States since 2004, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Karthikeya most popular?

Karthikeya peaked in 2016, when 39 newborns received the name.

Is Karthikeya a boy or girl name?

Karthikeya is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Karthikeya rising or falling?

Karthikeya is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Karthikeya become more popular?

Karthikeya is trending upward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 40 boys named Karthikeya in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Names like Karthikeya

Names that sound and feel close to Karthikeya: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Karthikeya with similar names → More names starting with K →