Dhruva

Meaning & origin

Dhruva is a name of Sanskrit origin deeply rooted in Hindu mythology as the boy who became the Pole Star, a tale of devotion and perseverance. In the United States, it first appeared on the Social Security Administration's baby name records in 1997, and has since seen modest but steady growth. Its peak popularity came in 2019, when the name ranked 2304 nationwide, with the highest concentration of use in New Jersey, Texas, and California. Despite being relatively rare (a 2025 estimate places it at 1 in 28,468 boys), its trajectory has been rising since 1998, reflecting growing interest in meaningful names from Indian traditions. The name is almost exclusively given to boys and carries a strong spiritual and aspirational quality.

Dhruva (ध्रुव) is a Sanskrit word meaning "fixed, immovable, or constant," and specifically refers to the Pole Star (Dhruva Nakshatra) in Hindu astronomy. In Hindu mythology, Dhruva was a prince who performed severe penance to attain a permanent place in the sky as the Pole Star; the story is narrated in the Vishnu Purana and Bhagavata Purana. The name has been used in India for centuries, especially among Hindu families, and gained wider use in the late 20th century.