Girl · #8,922 in 2026

Kaveri

The Kaveri, also known as Ponni, is a major river flowing across Southern India. It is the third largest river in the region after Godavari and Krishna. The catchment area of the Kaveri basin is estimated to be 81,155 km2 (31,334 sq mi) and encompasses the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and the union territory of Puducherry.

  • Hindi
Current Rank
#8,922
Peak Rank
#9,034 (2013)
Total Babies
107
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1999
First Year
2024
Last Year
2013
Peak Year
#9034
Peak Rank
107
Total Count
15
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Kaveri

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

The Kaveri, also known as Ponni, is a major river flowing across Southern India. It is the third largest river in the region after Godavari and Krishna. The catchment area of the Kaveri basin is estimated to be 81,155 km2 (31,334 sq mi) and encompasses the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and the union territory of Puducherry.

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

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • Hindi
Etymology
Kaveri is mentioned in Sanskrit as a holy river in various Hindu religious texts including the Mahabharata and the Puranas . The name itself might have had different etymologies. As per Skanda Purana , the river arose after Ganesha took a form of a crow and toppled sage Agastya 's kamandala . The river then took its name from the Tamil language words kā meaning "crow" and viri meaning "spread" literally translating to "spread by a crow". It might also mean a river with wide spread banks as viri can also be translated as wide spread. The etymology of the river might have also been derived from

The Story of Kaveri

Kaveri first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1999, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2013, when 12 Kaveris were born — ranking #9,034 that year. As of 2026, Kaveri ranks #8,922 for baby girls with 11 births, with steady use. In total, more than 107 Kaveris have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s 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 Kaveri

Phonetically similar names — useful when Kaveri 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 Kaveri

What does the name Kaveri mean?
The Kaveri, also known as Ponni, is a major river flowing across Southern India. It is the third largest river in the region after Godavari and Krishna. The catchment area of the Kaveri basin is estimated to be 81,155 km2 (31,334 sq mi) and encompasses the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and the union territory of Puducherry.
What is the origin of the name Kaveri?
Kaveri has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Hindi.
How popular is Kaveri in 2026?
In 2026, Kaveri ranks #8,922 among girls' names in the U.S., with 11 babies given the name that year.
When was Kaveri most popular?
Kaveri reached its peak popularity in 2013, ranking #9,034 that year with 12 babies given the name.
Is Kaveri a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Kaveri is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Kaveri?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Kaveri include Almina, Ornella, Bryah. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Almina
Peak #9034
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Ornella
Peak #9034
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Bryah
Peak #9034
👧
Skyra
Peak #9034
👧
Reis
Peak #9034
👧
Azalya
Peak #9034
👧
Rinnah
Peak #9034
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Malayja
Peak #9034

About the name Kaveri

Kaveri is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1999 and has accumulated 107 births in the dataset. Kaveri's peak popularity came in 2013 when it ranked #9,034. Use the chart and map above to compare Kaveri'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.