Boy · #2,186 in 2026

Vayu

Vayu, also known as Vata and Pavana, is the Hindu god of the winds as well as the divine messenger of the gods. In the Vedic scriptures, Vayu is an important deity and is closely associated with Indra, the king of gods. He is mentioned to be born from the breath of Supreme Being Vishvapurusha and also the first one to drink Soma. The Upanishads praise him as Prana or 'life breath of the world'.

Current Rank
#2,186
Peak Rank
#2,111 (2023)
Total Babies
334
5-Yr Trend
+324%
2018
First Year
2026
Last Year
2023
Peak Year
#2111
Peak Rank
334
Total Count
9
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Vayu

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

Vayu, also known as Vata and Pavana, is the Hindu god of the winds as well as the divine messenger of the gods. In the Vedic scriptures, Vayu is an important deity and is closely associated with Indra, the king of gods. He is mentioned to be born from the breath of Supreme Being Vishvapurusha and also the first one to drink Soma. The Upanishads praise him as Prana or 'life breath of the world'.

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

The Story of Vayu

Vayu first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2018, with 12 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 69 Vayus were born — ranking #2,111 that year. As of 2026, Vayu ranks #2,186 for baby boys with 68 births, rising sharply (+324% over the past five years). In total, more than 334 Vayus have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
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MI
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VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
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IL
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OH
PA
NJ
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MD
DE
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UT
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Top 10
11-50
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500+
No data

Names that sound like Vayu

Phonetically similar names — useful when Vayu 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 Vayu

What does the name Vayu mean?
Vayu, also known as Vata and Pavana, is the Hindu god of the winds as well as the divine messenger of the gods. In the Vedic scriptures, Vayu is an important deity and is closely associated with Indra, the king of gods. He is mentioned to be born from the breath of Supreme Being Vishvapurusha and also the first one to drink Soma. The Upanishads praise him as Prana or 'life breath of the world'.
How popular is Vayu in 2026?
In 2026, Vayu ranks #2,186 among boys' names in the U.S., with 68 babies given the name that year.
When was Vayu most popular?
Vayu reached its peak popularity in 2023, ranking #2,111 that year with 69 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Vayu most popular?
Vayu has historically been most popular in Washington, New Jersey, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Vayu.
Is Vayu a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Vayu is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Vayu?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Vayu include Mal, Rainey, Vandy. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Mal
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Vandy
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Gaylin
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Saintclair
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About the name Vayu

Vayu is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2018 and has accumulated 334 births in the dataset. Vayu's peak popularity came in 2023 when it ranked #2,111. Use the chart and map above to compare Vayu'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.