Boy · #12,141 in 2026

Bodhisattva

In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is a person who has attained, or is striving towards, bodhi or Buddhahood. Often, the term specifically refers to a person who forgoes or delays personal nirvana or bodhi in order to compassionately help other individuals reach Buddhahood.

Current Rank
#12,141
Peak Rank
#12,243 (2017)
Total Babies
15
5-Yr Trend
Stable
2017
First Year
2021
Last Year
2017
Peak Year
#12243
Peak Rank
15
Total Count
3
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Bodhisattva

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is a person who has attained, or is striving towards, bodhi or Buddhahood. Often, the term specifically refers to a person who forgoes or delays personal nirvana or bodhi in order to compassionately help other individuals reach Buddhahood.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
Bodhisattva is a combination of two Sanskrit words: Bodhi (बोधि), meaning "awakening" or "enlightenment" and Sattva (सत्त्व), meaning "being", as pertaining to a person who has achieved, or is striving towards, bodhi ('awakening' or 'enlightenment') or Buddhahood . The etymology of the Indic terms bodhisattva and bodhisatta is not fully understood. The term bodhi is uncontroversial and means "awakening" or "enlightenment" (from the root budh- ). The second part of the compound has many possible meanings or derivations, including: Sattva and satta commonly means "living being", "sentient being"

The Story of Bodhisattva

Bodhisattva first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2017, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2017, when 5 Bodhisattvas were born — ranking #12,243 that year. As of 2026, Bodhisattva ranks #12,141 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 15 Bodhisattvas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Top 10
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No data

Names that sound like Bodhisattva

Phonetically similar names — useful when Bodhisattva is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Boddhisatva
  • Bodhisattvas
  • Boadicea
  • Batiste
  • Podesta
  • Bautista
  • Bedsit

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Bodhisattva

What does the name Bodhisattva mean?
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is a person who has attained, or is striving towards, bodhi or Buddhahood. Often, the term specifically refers to a person who forgoes or delays personal nirvana or bodhi in order to compassionately help other individuals reach Buddhahood.
How popular is Bodhisattva in 2026?
In 2026, Bodhisattva ranks #12,141 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Bodhisattva most popular?
Bodhisattva reached its peak popularity in 2017, ranking #12,243 that year with 5 babies given the name.
Is Bodhisattva a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Bodhisattva is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Bodhisattva?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Bodhisattva include Aary, Aayon, Abdelkader. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Bodhisattva

Bodhisattva is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2017 and has accumulated 15 births in the dataset. Bodhisattva's peak popularity came in 2017 when it ranked #12,243. Use the chart and map above to compare Bodhisattva's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.