Harsha
Harshavardhana was the emperor of Kannauj from April 606 until his death in 647. He was the king of Thanesar who had defeated the Alchon Huns, and the younger brother of Rajyavardhana, son of Prabhakaravardhana and last king of Thanesar. He was one of the greatest kings of the Kingdom of Kannauj, which under him expanded into a vast realm in northern India.
Meaning & Origin of Harsha
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Harshavardhana was the emperor of Kannauj from April 606 until his death in 647. He was the king of Thanesar who had defeated the Alchon Huns, and the younger brother of Rajyavardhana, son of Prabhakaravardhana and last king of Thanesar. He was one of the greatest kings of the Kingdom of Kannauj, which under him expanded into a vast realm in northern India.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Harsha
As a girl name
Harsha first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2003, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2003, when 7 Harshas were born — ranking #12,408 that year. As of 2026, Harsha ranks #13,924 for girls with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 19 Harshas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Harsha first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1976, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2008, when 12 Harshas were born — ranking #6,762 that year. As of 2026, Harsha ranks #10,791 for boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 229 Harshas 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 Harsha
Phonetically similar names — useful when Harsha 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 Harsha
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About the name Harsha
Harsha is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1976 and has accumulated 229 births in the dataset. Harsha's peak popularity came in 2008 when it ranked #6,762. Use the chart and map above to compare Harsha's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
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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.