Bhavana
Bhāvanā literally means "development" or "cultivating" or "producing" in the sense of "calling into existence". It is an important concept in Buddhist practice (Patipatti). The word bhavana normally appears in conjunction with another word forming a compound phrase such as citta-bhavana or metta-bhavana. When used on its own, bhavana signifies contemplation and 'spiritual cultivation' generally.
Meaning & Origin of Bhavana
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Bhāvanā literally means "development" or "cultivating" or "producing" in the sense of "calling into existence". It is an important concept in Buddhist practice (Patipatti). The word bhavana normally appears in conjunction with another word forming a compound phrase such as citta-bhavana or metta-bhavana. When used on its own, bhavana signifies contemplation and 'spiritual cultivation' generally.
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Etymology
The Story of Bhavana
American parents first put Bhavana on the record books as a baby girl name in 1995, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2001, when 11 Bhavanas were born — ranking #8,757 that year. About 71% of every Bhavana on record arrived during the 2000s, its defining decade. Bhavana last appeared in the published SSA data in 2010, with 10 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 109 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1990s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Bhavana
Phonetically similar names — useful when Bhavana 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 Bhavana
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About the name Bhavana
Bhavana is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1995 and has accumulated 109 births in the dataset. Bhavana's peak popularity came in 2001 when it ranked #8,757. Use the chart and map above to compare Bhavana's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2001 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "B" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.