How Many People Are Named Narayana?
An estimated 21 people in the United States have the first name Narayana. It is used for both genders, with 77.3% male. The average bearer is 34 years old, and Narayana peaked in popularity in 1979 with 6 births that year.
Below you will find a full statistical profile of Narayana as a first name in the United States, including gender data, a year-by-year popularity timeline going back to 1880, a decade breakdown, state-by-state birth registrations, and, when available, a 2020 Census snapshot showing who had the name at that point in time. You can also check how many people share the full name Narayana paired with any surname.
Key Insights
- Narayana is exceptionally rare. Fewer than 100 people with this name are estimated to be alive in the U.S. today.
Estimated Living Americans
21
About 1 in 16,321,635 people in the U.S.
Rarity
Very Rare
Predicted Gender
Male
77.3% confidence
Average Age
34
years old
Peak Year
1979
6 births
Total Registered
22
since 1880
Gender Distribution for Narayana
Narayana is a genuinely unisex name, used for both males (77.3%) and females (22.7%). Out of 22 total births registered, 17 were male and 5 were female.
Narayana as a male name
Ranked #13,412 in 2006
5 male births in 2006
Peak: 1979 (6 births)
Narayana as a female name
Ranked #17,323 in 2002
5 female births in 2002
Peak: 2002 (5 births)
Narayana in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 393 people with the first name Narayana, which placed it at #24,497 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The estimated living count elsewhere on this page is different: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two figures are not expected to match exactly.
Read this section as a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The SSA charts elsewhere on this page are still the better way to see how the name rose, fell, or shifted across generations.
Gender in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, Narayana was recorded as predominantly male. Out of 393 people with this name in that snapshot, 89.1% were male and 10.9% were female. That is more heavily male than the long-run SSA birth pattern on this page, which sits at 77.3% male.
Census Count
393
people with this name
Census Rank
#24,497
among Census first names
Frequency Rate
0.13
per 100,000 people
Recorded Race and Hispanic Origin in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, the first name Narayana was most commonly recorded among people who identified as Asian and Pacific Islander (73.48%). The next largest recorded groups were White (9.85%) and Hispanic (6.31%).
These percentages describe the people who had the first name Narayana in the 2020 Census. They do not tell you the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.
2020 Census demographic breakdown
Each row shows a recorded Census category for people with the first name Narayana.
| Group | Share | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 73.48% | 291 |
| White | 9.85% | 39 |
| Hispanic | 6.31% | 25 |
| Black | 5.05% | 20 |
| Two or More Races | 4.29% | 17 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.01% | 4 |
The Census published separate sex and race/origin tables for first names, so their total counts can differ slightly for the same name. That is why the race section focuses on the demographic mix rather than repeating a second headline count.
Narayana: Popularity Over Time
SSA records for Narayana span from the 1970s to the 2000s, covering 3 decades of naming data. The most popular decade for this name was the 2000s, when 10 babies were registered. Narayana remains highly popular today, with recent registration numbers near its historical peak.
Narayana by Decade
How has Narayana tracked across different eras? The table below groups all SSA birth registrations into 10-year periods, with separate male and female counts. The colored bar shows each decade's share relative to the peak.
Narayana + Last Name Combinations
How many people share a full name with Narayana as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Names Similar to Narayana
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
Narayana: Questions and Answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Narayana?
We estimate approximately 21 people named Narayana are alive in the United States today. This is based on SSA birth records from 1880 to 2024, adjusted for mortality using CDC life tables. About 1 in 16,321,635 Americans share this first name.
Is Narayana a common name?
Narayana is classified as "Very Rare" and is more popular than 40.8% of all first names in the SSA database. A total of 22 births have been registered with this name since 1880.
When was Narayana most popular?
Narayana reached peak popularity in 1979, when 6 babies were given this name. The average age of a living person named Narayana is approximately 34 years old, reflecting when the name was most commonly given.
How common was Narayana in the 2020 Census?
The 2020 Census recorded 393 people with the first name Narayana. That placed it at #24,497 in the published Census first-name tables, or 0.13 people per 100,000.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census number is a count of people with the name in 2020. The living estimate is a current model based on SSA birth records and survival rates, so it aims to estimate how many people with the name are alive now.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The popularity chart tracks birth registrations, not people currently alive. It shows how often Narayana was given to babies from 1880 through 2024, which is why it is the best tool on the page for seeing long-run naming trends.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Narayana?
In the 2020 Census snapshot, Narayana was recorded as predominantly male. The published split was 89.1% male and 10.9% female.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Narayana?
In the 2020 Census, the first name Narayana was most commonly recorded among people who identified as Asian and Pacific Islander (73.48%). The next largest recorded groups were White (9.85%) and Hispanic (6.31%). These percentages describe the people who had the name in the 2020 Census, not the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census published separate first-name tables for sex and for race and Hispanic origin. Those totals can differ slightly for the same name, so the page uses them as two related snapshots rather than treating them as perfectly interchangeable counts.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name tables only include names that met the Bureau's publication rules. That means some names on this site will have SSA history but no published Census demographic snapshot.
Is Narayana a male name?
Narayana is predominantly male. 77.3% of people with this name are male. See the gender breakdown above for full details.
Why can Narayana have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because a name can build up a large population over many decades. Narayana peaked in 1979, and the average living bearer is about 34 years old, so a name can still have millions of living bearers even after it stops feeling current for newborns.
How many Narayana Smiths are there?
To find how many people share a specific full name, we combine first name and surname frequencies. Try: Narayana Smith, Narayana Johnson, Narayana Williams. You can also search any combination on our homepage.
Where does this data come from?
Our estimates use Social Security Administration birth records (1880 to 2024), adjusted for survival using CDC 2023 life tables broken down by sex. The U.S. population figure (342,754,338) is from the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimate. Full methodology.
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