Girl · #13,427 in 2026

Jhana

In the oldest texts of Buddhism, dhyāna or jhāna (Pāli) is a component of the training of the mind (bhāvanā), commonly translated as meditation, to withdraw the mind from the automatic responses to sense-impressions and "burn up" the defilements, leading to a "state of perfect equanimity and awareness (upekkhā-sati-parisuddhi)." Dhyāna may have been the core practice of pre-sectarian Buddhism, in…

Current Rank
#13,427
Peak Rank
#8,132 (1996)
Total Babies
107
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1965
First Year
2024
Last Year
1996
Peak Year
#8132
Peak Rank
107
Total Count
17
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Jhana

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

In the oldest texts of Buddhism, dhyāna or jhāna (Pāli) is a component of the training of the mind (bhāvanā), commonly translated as meditation, to withdraw the mind from the automatic responses to sense-impressions and "burn up" the defilements, leading to a "state of perfect equanimity and awareness (upekkhā-sati-parisuddhi)." Dhyāna may have been the core practice of pre-sectarian Buddhism, in…

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

Etymology
Dhyāna , Pali jhana , from Proto-Indo-European root *√dheie- , "to see, to look", "to show". Developed into Sanskrit root √dhī and n. dhī , which in the earliest layer of text of the Vedas refers to "imaginative vision" and associated with goddess Saraswati with powers of knowledge, wisdom and poetic eloquence. This term developed into the variant √dhyā , "to contemplate, meditate, think", from which dhyāna is derived. According to Buddhaghosa (5th century CE Theravāda exegete), the term jhāna (Skt. dhyāna ) is derived from the verb jhayati , "to think or meditate", while the verb jhapeti , "t

The Story of Jhana

Jhana first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1965, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1996, when 10 Jhanas were born — ranking #8,132 that year. As of 2026, Jhana ranks #13,427 for baby girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 107 Jhanas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Names that sound like Jhana

Phonetically similar names — useful when Jhana 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 Jhana

What does the name Jhana mean?
In the oldest texts of Buddhism, dhyāna or jhāna (Pāli) is a component of the training of the mind (bhāvanā), commonly translated as meditation, to withdraw the mind from the automatic responses to sense-impressions and "burn up" the defilements, leading to a "state of perfect equanimity and awareness (upekkhā-sati-parisuddhi)." Dhyāna may have been the core practice of pre-sectarian Buddhism, in…
How popular is Jhana in 2026?
In 2026, Jhana ranks #13,427 among girls' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Jhana most popular?
Jhana reached its peak popularity in 1996, ranking #8,132 that year with 10 babies given the name.
Is Jhana a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Jhana is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Jhana?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Jhana include Jonice, Idaliz, Marranda. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Jonice
Peak #8132
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Idaliz
Peak #8132
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Marranda
Peak #8132
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Donecia
Peak #8132
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Sirenia
Peak #8132
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Esparanza
Peak #8132
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Tyaisha
Peak #8132
👧
Chey
Peak #8132

About the name Jhana

Jhana is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1965 and has accumulated 107 births in the dataset. Jhana's peak popularity came in 1996 when it ranked #8,132. Use the chart and map above to compare Jhana'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.