Declining since 1998, #6,803 for boys today.
Popularity of Arun since 1966
Babies named Arun per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 28 |
| 1970s | 177 |
| 1980s | 235 |
| 1990s | 337 |
| 2000s | 342 |
| 2010s | 232 |
| 2020s | 89 |
Meaning & origin
Arun, a name of Sanskrit origin meaning 'dawn,' has been present in U.S. records since 1966. It reached its peak popularity in 1995, but has since seen a steady decline, with a trajectory classified as falling since 1998. In 2025, the name ranked 6803, with approximately 1 in 142,340 boys named Arun. California has been the top state for this name, reflecting its concentration among Indian-American communities. Despite its modest U.S. usage, Arun carries deep mythological resonance in Hinduism as the charioteer of the sun, symbolizing the light of a new day.
Arun derives from the Sanskrit word अरुण (aruṇa), meaning 'dawn' or 'the reddish glow of sunrise'. In Hindu mythology, Arun is the charioteer of the sun god Surya, personifying the dawn. The name has been widely used across India and among the Hindu diaspora for centuries, often given to boys born around sunrise or symbolizing a new beginning.
Where Arun is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Arun” around the world
Where Arun lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Sibling names for Arun
Names that share Arun's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Anjali, Priya, Kavya, Riya, Sita, Amita, Anu, Chanda, Chandra, Deepa, Latha, Leela, Monisha, Priti, Rashana, Sheela, Sona, Sonal, Anupama, Sangeeta, Amritha, Anitha, Arnisha, Chandrika, Dhana, Dinesha, Namrata, Navani, Rashmi, Savita, Smita, Sri
Brothers: Ravi, Vikram, Sanjay, Amit, Rajan, Amol, Anant, Anil, Anup, Ashok, Avinash, Kalai, Kannan, Manoj, Praveen, Raman, Sajan, Sanjeev, Sunil, Tarun, Vignesh, Vinay, Vineet, Arul, Kartikeya, Keval, Nehan, Praneeth, Raji, Ravindra, Venkat
