Ananda
Ānanda was the primary attendant of the Buddha and one of his ten principal disciples. Among the Buddha's many disciples, Ānanda stood out for having the best memory. Most of the texts of the early Buddhist Sutta-Piṭaka are attributed to his recollection of the Buddha's teachings during the First Buddhist Council.
Meaning & Origin of Ananda
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Ānanda was the primary attendant of the Buddha and one of his ten principal disciples. Among the Buddha's many disciples, Ānanda stood out for having the best memory. Most of the texts of the early Buddhist Sutta-Piṭaka are attributed to his recollection of the Buddha's teachings during the First Buddhist Council.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Ananda
As a girl name
Ananda first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1968, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2002, when 128 Anandas were born — ranking #1,483 that year. As of 2026, Ananda ranks #13,427 for girls with 6 births, holding steady (-1%). In total, more than 2K Anandas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Ananda first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1972, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2015, when 10 Anandas were born — ranking #7,491 that year. As of 2026, Ananda ranks #8,731 for boys with 8 births, with steady use. In total, more than 111 Anandas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Ananda
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ananda is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ananda
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About the name Ananda
Ananda is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1968 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Ananda's peak popularity came in 2002 when it ranked #1,483. Use the chart and map above to compare Ananda's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2002 →
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- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.