Karthikeya
Boy name · #3501 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Karthikeya? In official American birth records, Karthikeya has been tracked continuously since 2004, giving it 21 years of documented American history.
Karthikeya is currently the #3501 boy name in the United States — 33 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #4179, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 54,545 boys born in 2025 was named Karthikeya.
The 21-year story
Karthikeya first appears in the Social Security records in 2004, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2016, when 39 boys were named Karthikeya — good for #2993 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Karthikeya per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Karthikeya against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Karthikeya in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Karthikeya is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Karthikeya will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Karthikeya is most common
State-level data for Karthikeya is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Karthikeya
Statistically, parents drawn to Karthikeya tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Khalifa, Beauregard, Kingsten, Kharter, and Kaydence.
KhalifaBeauregardKingstenKharterKaydenceKeplerKesslerEllington
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Karthikeya | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 33 | #3450 |
| 2024 | 19 | #5067 |
| 2023 | 25 | #4220 |
| 2022 | 14 | #6147 |
| 2021 | 19 | #4936 |
| 2020 | 18 | #5041 |
| 2019 | 16 | #5555 |
| 2018 | 21 | #4610 |
| 2017 | 27 | #3889 |
| 2016 | 39 | #2993 |
| 2015 | 24 | #4179 |
| 2014 | 32 | #3371 |
| 2013 | 14 | #5923 |
| 2012 | 13 | #6306 |
| 2011 | 11 | #7009 |
| 2010 | 11 | #7087 |
| 2009 | 8 | #8985 |
| 2008 | 5 | #12553 |
| 2007 | 8 | #8915 |
| 2006 | 7 | #9585 |
| 2004 | 6 | #9948 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Karthikeya?
In official American birth records, the name Karthikeya first appeared in 2004 (over 21 years ago), when 6 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 21 years.
Is Karthikeya a popular boy name?
Karthikeya ranked #3501 among boys in 2025 with 33 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4179.
When was the name Karthikeya most popular?
Karthikeya peaked in 2016, when 39 American boys received the name (ranked #2993 that year). Since 2016 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Karthikeya?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 54,545 newborn American boys was named Karthikeya. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.